Prager emerges to lift Birds, 4-2 by Torey Lovullo and a two-out single by Luis Lopez. "He gave up the run in the first, and six innings later they still had only three hits," Pettini said. "John showed some mound presence. His change-up is getting better, and his command is getting better. He's going to have to keep it up to go back to the big leagues." Tracy Woodson, the American Association's RBI leader, knocked in the Redbirds' other two runs with a third-inning single and a seventhinning sacrifice fly. They were his first RBIs since he returned from a wrist injury that sidelined him for four games. "Just having Woody in the lineup means a lot to us," Pettini said. "That picked everybody up." Carpenter continued a brilliant. year by earning his first save. He lowered his ERA to 1.84 after 22 appearances. "It's a shame he's been stuck here," Pettini said. "He's a bigleague pitcher." Said Carpenter, whose contract says he can sign with any major league team if the St. Louis Cardinals don't pick him up: "The only part of the game I can control is my pitching. All I can do is continue to pitch well and hope everything falls into place. It would be worse if I was down here scufflin'." NOTES - Relief pitcher Cory Bailey, the league leader in saves with 20, will represent the Redbirds in the Triple- All-Star Game cn July 12 at Moosie, Pa.... Center fielder Terry Bradshaw was called up Wednesday by the Cardinals, who put Chris Sabo on the disabled list with back spasms. By GEORGE RORRER him in the first inning on a double Howard Prager, who has seen little action this season for the Louisville Redbirds, made a case for that to be changed last night, belting a home run, doubling and even stealing a base as the Redbirds beat Buf- AMERICAN ASSOCIATION Staff Writer falo 4-2 in the rubber match of a three game series at Cardinal Stadium. Prager has been the Redbirds' odd man out all season, the guy who goes on the disabled list when a roster spot has to be vacated. Before last night, he had only 22 atbats in 16 games. Last night, though, Prager flashed the power he showed last season, when he hit seven homers in a limited role, and it helped the Redbirds earn only their third victory over Buffalo in 10 attempts. "We keep bringing in people to play first base in of him, but he can play at this level," manager Joe Pettini said. "Not only did he swing the bat tonight, he made some good plays at first base." Prager said he's "disappointed" about his situation, but he understands it. "We've got four first basemen, and it doesn't make sense not to use it when you have a roster problem and an extra first baseman," he said. "At least they haven't made me pay for any tickets to see the games yet. I haven't had enough at-bats to get in a groove, but I'll always be the hitter I am, and when I get some Redbirds 4, Bisons 2 Buffalo ab r h bi Louisville ab Amaro cf 5 0 0 Holbert ss 3 Lovullo 1b 4 1 1 0 Battle cf 2 Giles If 2 1 2 Giannelli rf 0 00 Burnitz rf 0 Woodson 3b 3 0 1 Lopez dh 4 -00 1 Aversa 3b Bell 3b 400 0 Deak 2b Levis C 01 0 Thomas dh Ripken 88 0 0 Prager 1b 3 Candaele 2b 0 Cholowsky If McNeely M Ronan c Totals 33 2 6 1 Totals 31 BUFFALO BISONS 100 001 000-2 LOUISVILLE REDBIRDS . 021 000 101-4 E--Woodson. -Louisville 1. LOB- -Buffalo 8, Louisville 8. 2B- Lovullo, Battle, Prager, Cholowsky. HR--Thomas (8), Prager (1). SB-Prager (1), Ronan (1). S -Woodson. IP H R ER BB SO Buffalo Lopez L,4-6 0 Telford 1⅔ 0 -4 -+ Klink 0 00 +00 Louisville Frascatore W,2-4 ca 2 3 Raczka Carpenter S,1 1⅔ - 00 HBP.-by Frascatore (Giles). WP.-Lopez. T-2:29. A 6,398. How they scored Buffalo first (1) With one out, Lovullo doubled. With two out, Lopez singled, Lovullo scoring. Bisons 1, Redbirds 0. Louisville second (2) - With two out, Thomas homered. Prager homered. Bisons 1, Redbirds 1. Louisville third (1) - Holbert singled, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Woodson's one-out single. Redbirds 3, Bisons 1. Buffalo sixth (1) - Giles walked. Burnitz walked. Lopez grounded into a double play, Giles to third. Giles scored on third baseman Woodson's throwing error on D.Bell's grounder. Redbirds 3, Bisons 2. Louisville seventh (1) - Battle doubled, took third on Giannelli's fly out and scored Woodson's foul sacrifice fly. Redbirds 4, Bisons 2. at-bats my average will show it." Prager's first home run of the season came off Albie Lopez (3-6) and followed Skeets Thomas' eighth with two out in the second inning. They gave the Redbirds a 2-1 lead, and Buffalo couldn't catch up against John Frascatore (2-4), Mike Raczka and Cris Carpenter. Frascatore held the Bisons to three hits and two runs, one of them earned, over seven innings. Pettini thought Frascatore showed some maturity after the Bisons scored on