Wings split with PawSox

Game One:
Zack Granite led off the bottom of the first inning with an infield single off of Brian Johnson. The hit extended Granite’s hitting streak to five games. Two batters later, Mitch Garver drove in Granite with an RBI double giving the Red Wings a 1-0 lead. Garver has now reached base in 19 straight games. After a Kennys Vargas single, ByungHo Park followed with a single of his own that plated Garver. Vargas scored later in the inning when Tommy Field grounded into a fielder’s choice, being able to beat out the throw that could have ended the inning, making it 3-0 Rochester.

Dillon Gee made his second appearance since joining the Wings June 22, and worked five innings allowing five hits and a walk while striking out three. Gee threw 83 pitches, 55 for strikes.

Johnson, with the PawSox on a rehab assignment from Boston, was relieved in the top of the fourth inning by Chandler Shepherd. In his 3.2 innings of work, Johnson allowed five hits, three earned runs, one walk and struck out one with 75 pitches, 51 of which were strikes.

Alex Wimmers pitched the sixth inning, with a run scoring on a double play grounder to make the score 3-1. Wimmers struck out a pair in the seventh inning to lock down the win.

The Red Sox and Red Wings each collected seven hits during the game.

Winning Pitcher: Gee (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Johnson (0-1)
Save: Wimmers (5)
Box Score – Click here for the Game One box score and play-by-play narrative.

VIEW MORE SUE KANE PHOTOS HERE. 

Game Two:
Pawtucket got on the board in the top of the first inning when Steve Selsky doubled off of D.J. Baxendale bringing in a run that gave the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. Pawtucket added another run in the second that stretched their lead to 2-0.

The Red Wings had an opportunity in the bottom of the third inning as back-to-back hits by Ryan Strausborger and Matt Hague off of Jalen Beeks gave Rochester two runners in scoring position with no outs. Beeks was able to escape the inning with no harm as three strikeouts in a row by the Wings left both runners on base.

Baxendale’s night concluded when he was relieved by Mason Melotakis in the top of the fourth. Baxendale finished with 3.0 innings pitched, allowing seven hits, two runs, one of them earned, and striking out two on 53 pitches, 33 strikes.

Beeks gave Pawtucket 4.2 innings of work before being relieved by Brandon Workman. Beeks allowed three hits and no runs, while walking three and striking out seven on 96 pitches-51 of which were strikes.

Melotakis pitched the next two innings for Rochester, allowing one hit and striking out three. Michael Tonkin came on to pitch the sixth, and faced trouble in the inning with two outs and a runner on second. Aneury Taverez lined a single to left field, but Hague made a perfectly timed throw to the plate to throw out Heiker Meneses and keep the Red Sox lead to 2-0. Tonkin pitched the final two innings of the evening, allowing two hits and striking out one.

The Wings loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Austin Maddox got a fly ball out from Niko Goodrum to end the game.

The Red Wings were out-hit 10-4 over the course of the game.

 

Winning Pitcher: Workman (4-1)
Losing Pitcher: Baxendale (1-3)
Save: Maddux (3)
Box Score – Click here for the Game Two box score and play-by-play narrative.

The teams play again Thursday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1:35 p.m., featuring another College Day at the ballpark.

NOTES: OF Ryan Strausborger made his Red Wings debut in the first game, playing right field and going 0-for-3…The Twins placed LHP Hector Santiago on the disabled list, and recalled RHP Alan Busenitz from the Wings…Twins LHP Craig Breslowwill join the Wings on a rehab assignment and is scheduled to pitch here on Sunday, along with Justin Haley – also here on a big league rehab assignment.