Wings drop second straight to Syracuse

After having their first three games of the season postponed, the Red Wings chose to use a pair of starting pitchers on Tuesday. Scheduled starter Adalberto Mejia allowed a hit and a walk in his two innings of work; Mejia wriggled out of a first inning jam that included his throwing error, a single, and a walk.

Fernando Romero, who had been scheduled to start on Wednesday, made his Triple-A debut Tuesday instead when he took over for Mejia in the third inning.

Rochester got to work in the bottom of the third inning, when Gregorio Petit and Zack Granite led off the inning with back-to-back singles against Chiefs starter Cesar Vargas. With Taylor Featherston at the plate, a passed ball allowed the runners to move to second and third with one out after Featherston struck out. Rochester’s first run of the ball game came in the next at bat as Jake Cave grounded out to first base, scoring Petit to put the Wings ahead 1-0.

The Chiefs threatened in the top half of the sixth inning, after Romero issued back-to-back singles with one away. A line drive double play started by a nice catch by Granite kept the Chiefs off the scoreboard and the 1-0 Wings lead intact.

Vargas went five innings allowing five hits and an unearned run, with no walks and five strikeouts. Vargas threw 79 pitches, 50 for strikes.

Syracuse took the lead during the top half of the seventh inning after a leadoff walk and an error by right fielder Cave put runners on second and third with no outs. With one out, Alex Dunlap beat out an infield single which evened the game at 1-1. In the next at bat, Hunter Jones beat out a bunt bringing home Irving Falu which gave Syracuse a 2-1 lead. Both runs scored by Syracuse were unearned.

The Wings came right back to tie the score in their half of the seventh against reliever John Simms. Doubles from Nick Buss and Petit knotted the score at 2-2.

Romero tallied 5.0 innings with five hits, two unearned runs, and two walks allowed. Romero struck out three and threw 72 pitches, 45 for strikes.

Alan Busenitz came on in the eighth inning, and the Chiefs re-took the lead with a pair of doubles from Chris Dominguez and Alejando De Aza.

Nick Anderson pitched the ninth for the Red Wings, making his Triple-A debut with a strikeout of the first batter he faced in Dunlap. Anderson allowed a double but struck out the other two batters he faced in the inning.

Granite, Featherston, and Buss each had a pair of hits. The Red Wings and Chiefs each had nine hits.

Express Mart Thruway Cup Series: The Red Wings are now 0-2 in the season-long competition for the Thruway Cup.

Winning Pitcher: Simms (2-0)
Losing Pitcher: Busenitz (0-1)
Save: Adams (2)