BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bisons edged the Gwinnett Braves by a 4-3 score on Friday night in game one of the three-game series at Coca-Cola Field.
The loss ended the G-Braves’ 13-game winning streak in Buffalo. They had not lost at Coca-Cola Field since falling 5-4 on June 17, 2013.
Gwinnett (61-62) got on the board first in the top of the second inning. Rio Ruiz led off with a single to right off Buffalo starting pitcher Murphy Smith. Matt Tuiasosopo dropped a single into right moving Ruiz to second, and Kyle Kubitza plated Ruiz with a single to right for a 1-0 lead.
The Bisons (57-68) tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second as Danny Jansen singled to center off Gwinnett starter Kris Medlen and scored from first on a two-out double down the left field line by Gregorio Petit.
Buffalo took its first lead in the bottom of the third by plating two runs off Medlen. Christian Lopes singled to right with one out and scored from first on a long double to center by Michael Saunders. Saunders moved to third on an error by catcher Kade Scivicque and later scored on a two-out single to right by Rowdy Tellez for a 3-1 lead.
The G-Braves tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the sixth. After Sean Kazmar Jr. drew a two-out walk, Ruiz drilled a line-drive two-run home run to left, his team-leading 14th blast of the season.
The tie game lasted only until the bottom of the sixth as Jansen belted a two-out solo homer to left for the eventual 4-3 final.
The G-Braves had late chances to tie and/or take the lead. In the top of the eighth, they put runners on second and third with two outs, but failed to score. In the top of the ninth, Gwinnett loaded the bases with two outs, but Xavier Avery was called out on a close play at first base to end the game.
Medlen (L, 2-6) pitched 6.0 innings with eight hits, four earned runs, and two strikeouts for Gwinnett. Jason Hursh worked 1.0 inning with one hit, two walks and one strikeout. Rhiner Cruz pitched a scoreless, hitless bottom of the eighth.
Smith tossed 4.0 innings with four hits, one earned run and three strikeouts for the Bisons. Mike Bolsinger (W, 4-2) pitched 3.0 innings with three hits, two earned runs, two walks and three strikeouts. Jeff Beliveau (H, 7) worked 1.2 innings with three hits, one walk and three strikeouts. Chris Smith (S, 9) retired the lone batter he faced for the save.
Offensively for Gwinnett, Ruiz was 3-for-4 with a double, homer, two runs and two RBIs. Carlos Franco and Ronald Acuna each went 2-for-4, with Acuna extending his hitting streak to six games.
For the Bisons, Petit, Tellez and Jansen were each 2-for-4. Jansen scored twice and hit his first home run since being called up from Double-A New Hampshire.
Gwinnett and Buffalo meet in game two of the series on Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. Left-hander Luiz Gohara (0-2, 4.64 ERA) will start for the G-Braves, while the Bisons will start left-hander Brett Anderson (0-0, 0.00 ERA).
