Starter Bonser strikes out eight and reliever Kubel fans two in victory

Rochester Democrat & Chronicle
Staff Report

In the United Hockey League, the team based in Kalamazoo, Mich., is
informally known as the K-Wings.

The Rochester Red Wings could very well be known the same way, at least
when Boof Bonser and Pat Neshek take the mound because K's abound.

Bonser overtook Neshek for the International League lead in strikeouts as
the Red Wings defeated the Buffalo Bisons 6-2 on Friday night at Dunn Tire
Park.

Bonser (3-2) struck out eight in six innings and leads the IL with 47
strikeouts in 491/3 innings. He allowed just three hits, with Buffalo runs
scoring on Andy Marte's two-out, two-run home run in the fourth inning.

Neshek, the fourth pitcher for the Wings, fanned two in his two innings as
he earned his fifth save. His 44 strikeouts in only 231/3 innings are
second most in the league.

While Bonser and the bullpen quieted the Bisons, Jason Tyner ran the
merry-go-round at Dunn Tire Park while Jason Kubel carried the potent bat.

By himself Tyner scored more runs than the Bisons. He went 3-for-4 and
scored four times against his former team.

After failing to produce with Tyner in scoring position in the first
inning, Kubel delivered a two-run double in the third and an RBI single in
the seventh.

The victory allowed the K-Wings, er, Red Wings (20-13), to move within a
half game of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the North Division.

Bonser had a lead before he took the mound as Tyner's single, a ground out
by Jason Bartlett and Garrett Jones' single made it 1-0 in the top of the
first off Bisons starter Rob Bell (3-3).

Rochester sent eight men to the plate in the third and scored three times.
Tyner singled, Bartlett laced a double and both runners scored on Kubel's
double to right. An error allowed Kubel to score one out later.

Marte pulled the Bisons within 4-2 with his first homer of the season. It
came in his 119th at-bat of the season.

He threatened to put Buffalo ahead against Bonser in the sixth but his
long fly to left was caught by Josh Rabe on the warning track.

The Wings scored insurance runs in the seventh and ninth. A single by
Tyner, ground out and single by Kubel off reliever Steve Karsay pushed the
lead to 5-2. In the ninth an error, a force out by Tyner and Bartlett's
double produced the final run.

Bartlett leads the IL in doubles with 14. He is batting .312.

Bonser struck out the side in the first inning and had seven strikeouts
through four innings. The 24-year-old right-hander has made eight starts
and gone at least six innings six times. He has allowed no more than four
runs, and in six starts has given up two or fewer runs.

Ricky Barrett and Kevin Cameron were effective in set-up relief before
Neshek's wrapup.

The Wings split the two-game series in Buffalo and head to Syracuse for
three games, starting at 4 p.m. today.

Then comes an early season North Division showdown as
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre comes to Frontier Field for a four-game series
Tuesday-Friday. Those are the only four home games in the next 18 days.

May 13, 2006