By Paul Gotham
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Trevor May had a chance to face a Major League veteran Thursday night. If his first five outings of the season are any indication, it won’t be long before the Red Wings hurler faces a Major League lineup.
May took his second consecutive loss as the Rochester Red Wings fell to the Louisville Bats 2-1 in International League action at Frontier Field Thursday night, but the 6-5 Triple-A rookie did not fail to impress.
“May pitched like we’ve seen him before – real aggressive; he mixed his pitches well,” Rochester manager Gene Glynn said. “He’s pitched well for his first time in Triple-A.”
The right-hander retired the first ten he faced fanning five.
“I was able to establish fastballs for strikes early and everything kinda followed it from there,” the Longview, WA native stated. “That was the game plan going in. I haven’t seen a lot of these guys. I just tried to stick with what makes me successful and get it over the play early and work off that fastball.”
He allowed two earned runs on three hits over six complete striking out a season-high 11 with one walk over six complete. He threw 104 pitches – 73 for strikes.
“Tonight he had a lot of strike outs,” Glynn explained. “You’re going to find your pitch count climb quite a bit when you do that. He came out just over 100. That’s what we were hoping for guys to climb over that hundred mark and eventually get up to 110 or maybe close to 120 as the season wears on.”
May allowed a run in the fourth and fifth. Skip Schumaker plated Jason Bourgeois with a double in the fourth. The MLB veteran on rehab assignment went 1-3 against May, but he found the triangle in left center to get Louisville on the board.
“He’s another guy with a lot of big league time and definitely a developed approach,” May said. “Learning how to pitch to those guys is only going to make me better. I was definitely happy to get that under my belt.”
May retired Schumaker on a pair of ground balls in his other at bats.
“What we’re working on here is to face those guys. We want to get up there and face nine big leaguers. I welcome the opportunity.”
Rochester took the lead in the third on a two-out single to right by Oswaldo Arcia.
But the lead was short-lived.
Bourgeois connected for the eventual game-winner with a one-out two-bagger in the sixth.
Josh Smith went seven innings for the win. The right-hander struck out five, walked four and allowed one run on two hits.
Ryan Dennick hurled a scoreless eighth, and Jose Diaz retired the side in order in the ninth for the save.
“You hate to lose a game like that,” Glynn commented. “But you got to tip your hat to all the pitchers.”
May and Smith topped their respective leagues in strikeouts last season — May 159 in the Eastern League and Smith 139 in the Southern League.
May came into the game holding opponents to just a .185 (12-for-65) batting average against through his first four starts. He picked up a pair of no-decisions in his first two starts before getting the win with six shutout innings against Syracuse on April 20th.
“I’m a power guy and throw a lot of fastballs. I’ve really worked so hard on my changeup. I feel like guys who have good changeups and are power guys, it just makes it that much better. I’m confident that I can use that later in games.”
Schumaker has played nine seasons at the Major League level.
Red Wing Chris Parmelee extended his IL-leading hitting streak to 14 with a bloop double in the eighth.
James Beresford reached base three times on four trips to the plate with a single and two walks. The leadoff hitter stole a base and scored Rochester’s only run.
Aaron Thompson hurled 2.2 shutout innings in relief for the Red Wings.
Ryan Pressly fanned the only batter he faced.
The trio of Red Wing hurlers combined for 15 strike outs. Rochester has struck out at least nine batters in eight straight games. The Wings came in third in the IL with 207 strike outs.
“When guys are pounding the strike zone and getting swings it keeps you on your toes because every play is big which it is all the time,” Glynn said. “It keeps your defense in the game.”
Rochester fell to 13-12 on the season.
The teams meet Friday night in game two of the series. Former NYCBLer Tim Crabbe (1-2,3.91) takes the mound for Louisville to face Scott Diamond (1-3,10.35).
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