Nathan Lukes throws epic six-hit night for Buffalo Bisons

Nathan Lukes certainly had an unforgettable night on Wednesday.

The outfielder delivered an epic six-hit performance to lead the Buffalo Bisons to a 14-3 loss to the Rochester Red Wings. Lukes scored three points and drove in four to help Buffalo improve to 24-17, good enough for fourth place in the International League.

Lukes started his night with a two-run homer to right field in the first inning. Lukes then singled in the second inning, had a two-run double in the fourth inning and doubled again in the fifth inning. He singled in the seventh and ninth innings to end his big game. His performance raised his OPS to .976 from .870 before the game, and increased his average to .355 from .317, which is now third-best on the IL.

Lukes, 29, has a .425 on-base percentage in 27 games for the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate this year. He has yet to see the majors in 2024, but appeared in 29 games in 2023 with Toronto, bouncing over from Buffalo as the 26th man on the roster. Lukes saw 31 plate appearances, going 5 for 26 with a double, a triple, four runs and two RBIs.

Lukes is the fourth Buffalo Bison player to have six hits in a game since the franchise became a Triple-A team in 1985. LJ Talley did it a year ago in a game at Gwinnett, and Moises Sierra had six hits in one game at Syracuse. in 2013. Current Blue Jay Justin Turner was the first successful Bison in the team’s Triple-A era, hitting six hits in a 2010 game in Rochester, when Buffalo was affiliated with the New York Mets. York. Looking at Bison history as a whole, Hall of Famer Dan Brouthers was the first Bison to get six hits in a game, which he did in 1883 when Buffalo was a member of the League national.

In case anyone is wondering, two Blue Jays have had six games with six hits at the major league level. The first to do so was Frank Catalanotto, who didn’t “mess it up” during the nightcap of a doubleheader on May 1, 2004 against the White Sox in Chicago. The second Jay to achieve this feat was Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who had six hits on July 22, 2022 against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.