Second baseman Rafael Lantigua belted a grand slam and collected seven RBIs Saturday night as the Buffalo Bisons rolled past the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 10-1, at Sahlen Field.
Seven Buffalo pitchers combined on a four-hitter as the Bisons (62-53) improved to 3-2 in the series. They pulled within a half-game of the IronPigs for second place in the International League East and are 2 1/2 back of division-leading Durham.
A crowd of 8,957 was on hand for Hockey Night at the Ballpark, highlighted by an autograph session featuring members of the Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Beauts. Sabres winger Jeff Skinner threw a ceremonial first pitch as the Bisons wore blue and gold jerseys in a tribute to the Sabres' uniforms of the 1970s.
A first-pitch strike from Jeff Skinner — and a drop from Buster. #Sabres #Bisons pic.twitter.com/SURtTm7iSe
— Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) August 20, 2022
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Lantigua went 3 for 4 in the game to push his batting average to .341 in 12 games for Buffalo since arriving from Double-A New Hampshire. His bases-loaded walk in the first inning opened the scoring and he added a two-run double to center field in the fifth that pushed the Bisons' lead to 5-0. In the eighth, he powered a towering drive over the wall in deep left-center field with the bases loaded to close the scoring. It was his second Triple-A homer.
SEEEEEEE YA! IT'S A RAFAEL LANTIGUA GRAND SLAM pic.twitter.com/lOYvdIWyge
— Buffalo Bisons🦬 (@BuffaloBisons) August 21, 2022
Outfielder Yoshi Tsutsugo connected on a line homer to right in the second to give Buffalo a 2-0 lead and drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh. He had been 0 for 7 with six strikeouts in his first two games with the Bisons after signing earlier this week following his release by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Designated hitter Gabriel Moreno and first baseman Spencer Horwitz both went 3 for 5 for the Bisons, who also drew 12 walks in the game. Catcher Zack Collins walked in all five of his plate appearances, tying a modern-era franchise mark previously set by ex-Buffalo center fielders John Cangelosi (1988) and Coco Crisp (2003).
The series concludes Sunday at 1:05 p.m. with Thomas Hatch (7-5) scheduled to start for the Bisons. Buffalo has a day off Monday before opening a six-game set here Tuesday night against Columbus, which is second in the IL West.
