The Bisons have gotten off to their worst two week start in 15 years. The Bisons record fell to 5-10 as they dropped their third straight to the Syracuse Chiefs with a 9-7 loss on Thursday afternoon in front of a good weekday crowd of 8,032.

Bisons starting pitcher Brian Slocum got off to a rocky start as he gave up three runs on fours hits in the 2nd inning. Slocum threw 64 pitches in three innings of work. Jeff Harris came in to pitch in the 4th inning and stayed on for four innings. He gave up a big inning in the sixth as the Chiefs scored three runs on four hits in the inning.

The Bisons were trailing 9-3 heading into the 8th. The exploded for 4 runs on five hits with the big blow being Jason Cooper’s 3-run home run. The team had not been hitting in the first couple weeks of the season but collected 11 hits in the loss against the Chiefs.

“I was probably dejected as I’ve ever been after the first seven innings and it was good to see these guys kind of rebound,” Manager Torey Lovullo said.

Outfielder Jason Cooper was a bright spot out for the Bisons in the loss as he went 3 for 4 with a home run, 2 runs scored and 3 runs batted in and he made a great play in the field early in the game.

“He saved us a run out there. He is playing the way I hoped all the guys would be playing. He is really taking the game to the opposition. He had a great two strike approach and hit a home run and got us right back into the game. There is never a doubt of any passion or energy, he goes out there and plays full speed and I like that,” Lovullo said about Jason Cooper.

Cooper was able to get the Bisons back in the game with his 3-run home run in the 8th inning of of Chiefs reliever, Jordan De Jong.

“He [De Jong] threw me a few change-ups early. I figured with worst case scenario being he loads the bases and he has to pitch with one more hitter but don’t get off the change-up and he ended throwing another change-up and I was able to dig it out and keep it fair,” Cooper said.

The Bisons will finish off their home stand against Syracuse with the FridayNightBash at 6 p.m. on Friday as the Bisons will host Brian Dux Night.