By CHUCKIE MAGGIO
Josh Rogers’s first professional hits surely boosted his cause in the first game of the Rochester Red Wings’ doubleheader split with the Syracuse Mets on Thursday.
The lefthander not only threw five innings of one-hit baseball in his fifth start as a Red Wing, he also lined two singles. Rogers, who told Red Wings radio announcer Josh Whetzel his spot in the batting order in high school went to a designated hitter, drove in Rochester’s first two runs in the second and added another RBI on the first pitch he saw in the fourth.
Syracuse is one of the few places Rogers, whose first two plate appearances took place on June 12 in Lehigh Valley, will get the opportunity to take some swings. The Red Wings only bat when visiting National League affiliates.
Rochester won Game 1 4-1 but lost the nightcap in extra innings on César Puello’s eighth-inning walk-off double. Despite leading 4-1 after three innings, the Red Wings failed to finish their first doubleheader sweep of the year.
Yadiel Hernandez flexed his muscles in NBT Bank Stadium, hitting opposite-field home runs in each game. His homer just cleared the left field wall in Game 1 and easily cleared the same fence in Game 2. The 33-year-old has feasted on Syracuse pitching this week, recording a hit in six of 11 at bats, with three RBI. Rafael Bautista homered in the fifth inning of Game 2, his fourth of the season.
Dakota Bacus earned his third save of the season in relief of Rogers, surrendering just one hit in two innings. The Red Wings’ bullpen did not fare as well in the second contest.
Rochester scored all four of its third inning runs with two outs, using a bloop single, ground ball single, Wilfredo Tovar error and bases-loaded walk to fuel their rally. Syracuse didn’t retreat, however, as Khalil Lee’s two-run triple highlighted a three-run fifth and Mason Williams, who sat for Brandon Nimmo in the early game but collected three hits during his turn leading off, drove in the tying run in the sixth.
Alberto Baldonado inherited Lee and allowed Tovar to drive in the run with a 3-1 single. Ronald Peña allowed two hits and the tying run, while Gabe Klobosits took the hard-luck loss after the Red Wings failed to earn a hit in the eighth, much less score the runner from second base.
Tyler Eppler starts for Rochester in Friday’s matchup, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35.
Notes: Daniel Palka exited the first game in the fourth inning after attempting to catch a foul ball against the field tarp near the first base dugout and did not play in Game 2.
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