Kennys Vargas finished 3-for-4 including a home run, and the Rochester Red Wings used a late-inning rally to defeat the Syracuse Chiefs, 8-4 in International League action at NBT Bank Stadium.
With the win Rochester (65-49) moved within two games of Lehigh Valley (67-47) in the IL wildcard race. Thruway rival Buffalo Bisons handed the IronPigs their fourth straight setback with a 1-0 win in 10 innings over the IL North’s second-place team.
Rochester opens a seven-game home stand on Monday when Columbus (60-54) comes to Frontier Field for a 7 p.m. start. Lehigh Valley also has seven straight at home starting with a game against Norfolk (52-62), Monday night.
Vargas connected on his eighth home run of the year in Red Wings uniform – a solo shot in the third inning to Rochester a brief 3-0 lead.
But the Chiefs scored three in the third and one in the fourth to take a 4-3 lead.
Vargas sparked a four-run eighth with a leadoff single, and the Wings finished with a split of the four-game set.
Matt Hague followed with a base on balls, Vargas was lifted for pinch-runner Niko Goodrum and one out later, Tommy Field also walked to load the bases.
Anthony Recker greeted Chiefs reliever Neil Ramirez with a two-run single to right. Engelb Vielma brought home Field with a sacrifice fly and J.B. Shuck capped the decisive inning with a two-run double.
Shuck knotted the game at four with a sacrifice fly to score Vielma in the seventh.
Alex Wimmers retired all six batters he faced in relief for the win. The right-hander struck out one and improved to 3-3 on the season.
Aaron Slegers started and tossed five innings. The Wings ace with a record of 12-4 on the season allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits. Slegers struck out six and walked two.
John Curtiss tossed two scoreless innings in relief.
Leonardo Reginatto finished 2-for-3 with two walks on the night.
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