Wings beat Bulls to complete series sweep

Rochester (27-23), who is now 17-8 away from Frontier Field, got homers from Jake Cave, Taylor Featherston and Kennys Vargas as they’ve now homered 17 times over the last 12 games after hitting just 16 long balls in their first 38 contests of 2018.

Cave gave Rochester the 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the fourth inning. An inning later, Featherston padded that lead with a two-run shot over the Blue Monster in left field.

The reigning IL champs would plate two runs in the bottom of the fifth to trim the lead to 3-2.

Dietrich Enns (W, 4-5) turned in a nice start for the Wings allowing just the two runs on six hits and a pair walks. The southpaw struck out a season-high seven.

DJ Baxendale took over for Enns in the seventh and allowed a leadoff triple. However, the Wings veteran would retire the next three batters on a groundout, strikeout and groundout to preserve the 3-2 lead before working a perfect eighth inning.

The Wings scored two HUGE insurance runs in the ninth on a Vargas solo homer and an RBI single from Featherston.

Luke Bard entered in the ninth and got two quick outs before a four-pitch walk and a subsequent two-run homer trimmed the lead to one. But the righty would get Jake Bauers to groundout with a runner on to end the game.

Former Durham Bull, Taylor Motter made his Wings debut after being claimed off waivers on Monday and went 0-for-3 with a run scored.

The Wings are now 22-3 when scoring first this season and just 5-20 when the opponent plates the first run.

Rochester’s southern swing trip continues Friday night when they open a three-game series in Norfolk. Southpaw Adalberto Mejia (0-1, 5.19) will get the ball for the Red Wings.

WINGS THINGS: Tyler Duffey was recalled by the Twins on Thursday…Aaron Slegers who allowed just two runs in 5.1 IP for the Twins on Wednesday night was optioned back to Rochester…The Wings finished the month of May with an 18-13 record.