Courtesy of RedWingsBaseball.com
By Nick Sciarratta and Jim Erbland
The Rochester Red Wings dropped a 3-1 contest to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs Tuesday night at Frontier Field. The loss dropped the Wings 3.5 games behind the IronPigs in the International League wild card race.
The Wings jumped out in front early. In the bottom of the first inning, ByungHo Park singled up the middle off Lehigh Valley starter Jose Taveras to score Matt Hague and make the score 1-0 Wings. Taveras was making his Triple-A debut after being promoted from Double-A Reading.
Rochester’s scheduled starting pitcher, Dillon Gee was recalled by the Twins which prompted the Wings to send right-hand reliever D.J. Baxendale to the hill for his fourth start of the season. Baxendale retired the first five batters he faced before giving up a home run to Andrew Pullin to tie the game 1-1.
Baxendale went 3.0 innings, giving up one earned run, two hits, no walks and three strikeouts. He threw 46 pitches (33 strikes).
Alex Wimmers sat down the first six batters that he faced. The IronPigs got to him in the top of the sixth inning after Rhys Hoskins hit a sacrifice fly to score J.P. Crawford to make the score 2-1. Mason Melotakis entered the game but was unable to limit the damage. Melotakis walked the first batter he faced, and Jorge Alfaro hit an RBI single to make the score 3-1 IronPigs.
Michael Tonkin pitched the final 2.1 innings, striking out three and allowing an infield hit.
Taveras gave up only one earned run, two hits and three walks over 6.0 innings for Lehigh Valley. He struck out eight Wings on 108 pitches (69 strikes).
Lehigh Valley pitchers combined to hold the Wings offense to just two hits.
The series continues on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. with $1 hot dogs, cracker jack, peanuts and chips across the ballpark.
Winning Pitcher: Taveras (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Wimmers (2-3)
Save: Venditte (2)
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