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His eight-inning stint wasn’t long enough to factor in the decision, however, as the game was decided by a misguided throw in the ninth inning, giving the Charlotte Knights a 4-3 win over the Herd and a sweep of the four-game series at Coca-Cola Field.

Niese limited the Knights to five hits and a walk and struck out four. He allowed three runs, his largest yield in five games. But he still reduced his season earned run average to 4.85. His ERA since June 7, however, is a sparkling 1.31.

“I still don’t care about the numbers,” Niese said, referring to similar comments made earlier while struggling to an 0-6 start with an ERA hovering around 8.00. “I’m just trying to stay consistent. The numbers take care of themselves if I do my job.”

“He’s locating his ball,” said Bisons manager Ken Oberkfell. “He’s not missing and getting behind batters and walking people, and he’s avoiding the big inning. He’s got electric stuff when he’s on. His confidence is real high right now.”

“I’ve been mixing my pitches up more,” Niese said. “I’m not throwing too many fastballs and it’s been working out for me.”

Niese made only one costly mistake all game. In the fourth inning, Michael Restovich looped a homer just inside the left field foul pole to give the Knights a 3-2 lead.

“It was a cutter,” Niese explained. “I left it up and got too much of the plate. I was trying to go in more and jam him. He got his barrel on it. It was a real good hit.”

The Bisons eventually battled back to tie the game at 3-3 in the seventh. Wilson Valdez came through with a bases-loaded ground out to drive in Michel Abreu.

But in the ninth, Brandon Knight - making a spot appearance out of the bullpen – walked Wilson Betemit to lead off the inning. Betemit was sacrificed over to second, and scored after a horrendous throw by third baseman Javier Castillo.

Castillo fielded a grounder off the bat of Donny Lucy, looked toward first for the easy play, then inexplicably flipped the ball towards third base in an attempt to catch Betemit. Valdez, the shortstop, hadn’t arrived at the base to receive the throw, and the ball drifted to foul territory in left field.

“You have to make the routine play,” Oberkfell said. “I don’t know where (Castillo) was mentally on that play. … If he’s thinking that on a slow roller he’s going to throw to third – wow – it’s the wrong thought process.”

The loss gave the Herd its fourth losing streak this season of at least four games. It’s also the third time the Bisons have been swept by an opponent at home in a four-game set. Others came in April at the hands of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Syracuse.

“I’m sick of losing. It’s driving me crazy,” Oberkfell lamented. “These guys, if they’re not sick of it, then they’re in the wrong business. If they’re here to collect a paycheck, then maybe it’s time for them to move on.”

………

The game was over in an expedient two hours and two minutes, tying a 4-1 loss to Norfolk on May 8 as the second-shortest nine-inning game of the season. The Bisons and Pawtucket Red Sox completed their April 11 game in 1:54.

………

Knight (4-8) worked from the bullpen because his normal turn in the rotation on Friday will be taken by rehabbing New York Mets pitcher Oliver Perez.

“We didn’t know how long that game would go. Both teams weren’t really scoring runs,” Oberkfell explained. “Knight’s the kind of guy who’s stretched out. He could give us a lot of extra innings.”

………

The Bisons finished June with a 12-15 record. It was an improvement over the combined 14-34 record logged in April and May, but it could have been much better if they didn’t drop eight of their last 10 or go only 4-8 at home.

“It’s very disheartening. I can’t understand why we don’t win at home,” Oberkfell said. “I don’t see this team being that bad of a ballclub right now. To not win at your own ballpark is amazing. … We ain’t giving (the fans) a whole helluva lot to cheer about.”

After an off day, the Bisons host Rochester for a pair of games on Thursday and Friday.