Bisons split doubleheader with Omaha on Saturday

PAPILLION, NE - The Buffalo Bisons and Omaha Storm Chasers split their doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Werner Park. Buffalo shut out the Storm Chasers in the opener 8-0, while the Bisons fell to Omaha in game two 6-4.

The Bisons wasted no time scoring first in the opening game of the twin bill. A bases loaded walk to Charles McAdoo gave the team a 1-0 lead. The walk scored Yohendrick Piñango who started the two-out rally with a base hit to left-center field.

Rafael Lantigua’s first home run of the season was a solo shot in the top of the second inning that made it 2-0 in favor of Buffalo. The homer came off of ex-Bisons starter Aaron Sanchez and was one of two runs in the inning for the team. Eloy Jimenez’s RBI base hit extended the lead to 3-0 in the second.

Buffalo would tack on two more runs in the top of the fourth inning, both against the Storm Chasers’ bullpen. Piñango hit a two-run home run to right field, his first home run of the season, that scored Jonatan Clase for a 5-0 lead.

A two-run base hit by Lantigua was one of two run scoring base hits in the top of the seventh that helped cap the scoring in game one. RJ Schreck and Josh Kasevich both scored on Lantigua’s base hit to center field. Lantigua finished the opener with two hits and three runs batted in for the Bisons. The final run came thanks to a Carlos Mendoza RBI base hit for an 8-0 lead.

Chad Dallas started game one for Buffalo and recorded a pair of strikeouts in three and one-third innings. Jesse Hahn was credited with the win, while Michael Plassmeyer worked two scoreless innings to preserve the shutout victory.

Omaha would strike first in the nightcap, recording three runs in the first inning for a three-run lead. However, Buffalo tried to chip away at the deficit with a solo run in the top of the third inning. Ryan McCarty led off the top of the third with a base hit and scored on a double play to trim the deficit to 3-1.

But Omaha had the answer to extend the lead back to three runs, 4-1, after three. They would balloon the advantage to 6-1 with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth.

The Bisons scored the final three runs of the game to get within a pair, but could not bring the game-tying run to the plate. Jimenez’s sacrifice fly to center field scored Schreck to cut the deficit to 6-2. While Josh Rivera belted a two-run home run in the top of the seventh to make the score 6-4.

Despite the split, several Bisons’ batters had successful days at the plate. Josh Kasevich extended his hitting streak to seven games, while Schreck’s first two hits of the season came in game two.

The series between the Bisons and Omaha concludes Sunday afternoon with a 3:05 p.m. EDT first pitch at Werner Park. CJ Van Eyk will make his second start of the week for Buffalo. Pregame coverage on The Bet 1520 AM, the Audacy app, and Bisons.com begins at 2:45 p.m. EDT with the ‘Voice of the Bisons’ Pat Malacaro.