Courtesy of RedWingsBaseball.com
PAWTUCKET, RI – James Beresford came to the plate in pivotal moments in the ninth and 10th innings and came through with clutch at-bats for the Rochester Red Wings in a 7-5 comeback win in 10 innings against the Pawtucket Red Sox.
The Red Wings (13-15) had runners on first and second with nobody out in the top of the ninth and got a run off a Byron Buxton single followed by a Beresford single coupled with a fielding error that allowed two runs to score. Beresford advanced on a sacrifice fly and scooted home from third on a wild pitch from Pat Light (0-1).
Deven Marrero scored on a wild pitch for the PawSox (13-14) from Buddy Boshers (1-0) that tied the game 5-5 and sent the game to extra innings.
It was Beresford again in the bottom of the 10th inning who came through for Rochester. With the bases loaded and one out, Beresford drew a walk that scored Buck Britton. Heiker Meneses came up with a sac fly to center on the next at-bat to make it 7-5 Rochester.
Marcus Walden came on in the 10th for the Red Wings and retired the side in order to secure his third career save – first above Double-A – and the Wings’ fifth comeback win of the season.
Andrew Albers made his second start of the season for Rochester and turned in the team’s 15th quality start in 28 games. Albers worked his way in and out of trouble for parts of the night but only allowed a pair of runs in six innings to go along with three walks and five strikeouts.
It appeared as baseball at McCoy Stadium would have to wait another night after the series opener was cancelled, but after a 45-minute rain delay baseball was underway.
Pawtucket sent rehabbing major leaguer Joe Kelly to the hill. Kelly, who was placed on the disabled list back on April 20, was making his first appearance since and made a mistake pitch right away. Buxton took the second offering from Kelly deep over the left field fence for a leadoff bomb to make it 1-0 Wings.
Albers had a quick 1-2-3 frame in the first but a shaky second. The PawSox loaded the bases but Albers induced a ground ball to short to get out of the jam.
Albers wiggled out of trouble again in the third. With runners on first and second forced a ground ball that started a 4-6-4-6-5-1 double play and later got a flyout to end the frame.
Living dangerously came to an end for Albers in the fourth as the Paw Sox got on the board. Chris Marrero led off with a push-single to right. After advancing on a wild pitch and sac fly he would be plated by a Jantzen Witte RBI groundout that tied the game 1-1.
Pawtucket tacked on a run in the bottom of the fifth. With runners on first and second Sam Travis lifted a flare that landed down the line in right for an RBI double to give the Sox the 2-1 edge. The Sox plated two more runs in the bottom of the eighth off a Jantzen Witte two-RBI double to left field.
Two Red Wings had multi-hit games. Britton had a huge night at the dish for the Wings by going 4-for-5 with a pair of runs scored while Buxton went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs and runs scored. Beresford chipped in by going 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Adam Brett Walker also walked four times as the Wings drew a season-high 12 walks.
WINGIN’ IT NOTES:
Byron Buxton’s leadoff homer was his second of the season and the second time this week he led off the game with a dinger. Buxton took A.J. Cole deep on the second pitch on May 3 in Syracuse to start things off.
Manager Mike Quade was ejected by home plate ump Roberto Ortiz in the middle of the sixth inning arguing that Roenis Elias balked for Pawtucket.
Darin Mastroianni and Juan Centeno had their contracts selected by Minnesota on Friday morning.
Next up: RHP David Martinez (game 1) and LHP Jason Wheeler (game 2) start in Pawtucket as the Red Wings and PawSox play a doubleheader Saturday at 5:05 p.m.
Next Home Game: Monday, May 9 vs. Gwinnett (Braves), 7:05 p.m.
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