Brian Sweeney makes Bisons Debut

Losers of their last two games, the Buffalo Bisons are currently in the middle of an eight game homestand and will look to end their losing streak tonight against the Scranton Yankees at 7:05pm at Coca Cola Fields.

The Bisons took the first two games of their previous four game series against the Louisville Bats, winning 6-5 and 4-0, but things quickly turned ugly for the Bisons as Louisville starting pitchers Tom Cochran and Matt Maloney held the Bisons to just one run over their last two games.

The Yankees meanwhile are also on a two game losing streak themselves, as they lost their four game series with the Pawtucket Redsox 3-1. Their only good outing came friday when the Yankees scored ten runs and David Phelps pitched six scoreless innings of one-hit ball, striking out a season high seven batters while walking only one.

Tonight both teams will look to get back on track as 37 year old pitcher Brian Sweeney takes the rubber and will make his Bisons debut against Yankees pitcher D.J. Mitchell (0-2) 2.82ERA.

Sweeney has had an interesting spring so far. He began this year in spring training with the Arizona Diamondbacks but started the 2011 season with the Somerset Patriots (Independent Atlantic League). He was the Patriots' Opening Day Starter and struck out eight in seven innings to collect a win in his only appearance with the team.

Sweeney split last season between the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers and the Seattle Mariners. With the Mariners, Sweeney played in 24 games and was 1-2 with a 3.16ERA. He recorded 14 strikeouts while pitching in 37 innings. For his career, Sweeney is 4-2 with a 3.38ERA in 73 major league games with the Mariners and the San Diego Padres.