Bo Bichette hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Wes Parsons allowed just one run over five innings to lead the Buffalo Bisons to a 7-1 victory over the Rochester Red Wings on Thursday at Sahlen Field.
The teams meet again at 7:05 p.m. Friday.
The Bisons (55-60, 21-19 second half) got off to a quick start as Rafael Lantigua led off the bottom of the first inning with a single before Bichette blasted a shot over the centerfield fence for a 2-0 lead.
In the third, Buffalo made it 4-0. Lantigua led off with a walk and Bichette singled to right, but was thrown out at second trying to stretch it into a double. With Lantigua at third, Ernie Clement reached on an infield single to put runners at the corners and Orelvis Martinez singled to score Lantigua. Clement scored on a single by Luis De Los Santos.
The Herd tacked on two more runs in the fourth. Jamie Ritchie led off with a walk, and Cam Eden and Lantigua singled to load the bases. With Bichette stepping to the plate, Rochester removed starting pitcher Alemao Hernandez in favor of Joel Peguero. Bichette hit a sacrifice fly to score Ritchie then Clement was hit by a pitch to reload the bases. Martinez’s sacrifice fly plated Eden, giving Buffalo a 6-0 lead.
The Red Wings (54-60, 20-21) got a run back in the top of the fifth when Luis Garcia grounded into a double play to score Richie Martin.
The Bison added a run in the eighth on Eden’s RBI groundout.
Bichette, who is on a rehab assignment, went 2-for-2 with three RBIs and a run scored.
Parsons (6-2) allowed one earned run on four hits and two walks. He struck out six.
