BUFFALO, NY – Sean Keys, Jonatan Clase, and C.J. Stubbs all home runs for the Buffalo Bisons in their 9-5 victory over the Charlotte Knights on Tuesday evening at Sahlen Field.
The bats were hot in a game that saw six home runs. Buffalo also recorded five straight hits in a three-run sixth inning. Lazaro Estrada started on the mound for Buffalo in a Major League Rehab assignment, working two and two-thirds innings and recording two strikeouts.
The first inning of this series got off to an exciting start. Charlotte wasted no time getting on the board as Kyle Teel hit a two-run home run, scoring Rikuu Nishida to give the Knights an early 2-0 lead.
Buffalo quickly responded with a two-run home run by Keys, which scored Clase to tie the game at 2-2. This was Keys’ second home run of the season.
Yimi Garcia took the mound for Buffalo in the top of the fourth and struck out the side.
Clase launched a three-run home run, scoring Stubbs and Je’Von Ward to give Buffalo a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth. This was Clase’s fourth home run of the season.
The Bisons Bullpen retired nine consecutive hitters from the third through fifth innings.
Stubbs joined the Bisons’ home run party with a solo shot of his own in the bottom of the fifth, extending Buffalo’s lead to 6-2. This was Stubbs’ first home run of the season.
Charlotte cut into the Bisons’ lead with two home runs of their own in the top of the sixth inning. Michael Turner hit a two-run homer to score Teel. Nolan Jones immediately followed with a solo home run of his own to trim Buffalo’s lead to 6-5.
The Bisons regained their four-run cushion in the bottom of the sixth inning. Josh Kasevich hit an RBI single to score Rafael Lantigua, Keys followed with an RBI single to score Clase, and Willie MacIver added an RBI single to score Kasevich. The three-run inning gave Buffalo a 9-5 lead.
Buffalo and Charlotte are scheduled for a 1:05 p.m. first pitch on Wednesday afternoon for game two of this series. The Bisons lead the series 1-0. 2020 Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber is slated to start on the mound for the Bisons. Pregame coverage on The Bet 1520 AM, the Audacy app, and Bisons.com begin at 12:45 p.m.