By CHUCKIE MAGGIO
The Rochester Red Wings are notorious slow starters. They began last season 2-12, won just two of their first 10 games in 2019 and were swept after managing just four runs in their first three games of 2018.
Rochester has not compiled a winning record in April since 2017, which was also its last winning season. The club is off to a more favorable start this year, taking four of six contests in Toledo last week.
Manager Matt LeCroy’s vision for his athletic lineup and poised pitching staff came to fruition against the Mud Hens, as Red Wing batters legged out six triples while their pitchers compiled a 2.45 ERA and struck out 77 batters. Rochester led Triple-A in each of those categories.
The Red Wings can use “it’s early” as a caution flag over a hot start this time, rather than a source of encouragement amid growing pains. They host Buffalo in their home opener on Tuesday, with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. at Frontier Field.
Buffalo also won its opening series 4-2, with its pitching staff holding the Iowa Cubs to just seven runs over the last four games. Young left-hander Nick Allgeyer won twice, surrendering just one run and three hits in 11 innings. Veteran righty Casey Lawrence, who the Red Wings are slated to see Wednesday, allowed just a run on two hits in five innings last Friday, striking out six without walking a batter.
Only the Worcester Red Sox opened the campaign with more wins than the thruway rivals.
Tres Barrera, who is entering his second season with Rochester after playing 54 games in Triple-A and 30 in the major leagues last season, played a lead role in Ohio. He not only caught four games, he collected eight hits in 15 at bats and homered last Friday.
The 27-year-old Barrera is already a quarter of the way to matching the 48 total bases he amassed as a Red Wing last season.
Nick Banks, Joey Meneses and Andrew Stevenson each batted above .300 for Rochester as well last week. Donovan Casey, meanwhile, drove in six runs and scored four himself.
Toledo, of note, ranked seventh in the International League last season in opponent batting average at just .241.
Rochester has won 11 of its last 20 home openers but just one of its last four against Buffalo. The Bisons won the division championship last year, while the Red Wings have not won the division since 1997.
If this is the year for LeCroy’s club, Casey Candaele’s Bisons certainly qualify as one of the teams to beat. Tuesday’s meeting is the first of 21 games between Rochester and Buffalo this season.
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