Buffalo 5, Rochester 3

MVP. Mr. Valentino Pascucci.

The Bisons 2011 MVP is back at it a year later. Pascucci's solo home run in the eighth inning put Buffalo up for good in a 5-3 victory over the Red Wings on Sunday afternoon from Frontier Field. The victory was the Bisons third in a row and has guaranteed them at least a split of their four-game set in Rochester.

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Pascucci had 21 home runs for the Bisons a season ago and got this campaign started right with a home run on Opening Night in Pawtucket. On Sunday, the slugger picked up homer number two on the year to snap a 3-3 tie.

With two outs in the top of the eighth inning, Pascucci crushed a 2-2 pitch from reliever Casey Fein to centerfield. It was Pascucci's 40th home run with the Bisons. He becomes the 12th player to reach that milestone in the team's modern era.

Buffalo also used the long ball to get an early lead on Rochester. Trailing 1-0, Adam Loewen and Matt Tuiasosopo hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning for a 3-1 advantage.

Rochester tied it with two runs in sixth inning, but that was really the only time they threatened against Bisons starter Jeremy Hefner (1-0). In his Herd debut, Hefner worked seven innings and struck out four.

With Fernando Cabrera earning saves on Friday and Saturday night, Bisons manager Wally Backman turned to lefty Daniel Herrera to close out the victory. Herrera struck out a pair over the final two innings of the game.

BISONS NOTES: The last time the Bisons got back-to-back home runs was July 20, 2011 in Syracuse with Valentino Pascucci and Jason Botts having the honors...With Daniel Herrera's two scoreless innings, the Bisons bullpen has now begun the year with 14.0 shutout frames...Bobby Scales had two more hits and drove home the team's insurance run with an RBI-single in the ninth inning.