By CHUCKIE MAGGIO
Donovan Casey’s adaptability was the difference in the Rochester Red Wings’ rain-shortened victory over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Saturday night.
Casey, batting ninth in Rochester’s lineup for just the second time this season, homered off Colton Eastman in the third inning to procure a 1-0 lead. Casey, who was mired in an 0-for-11 slump, went hitless in his previous four at bats out of the nine slot.
The solo shot was one of just four hits for either side and the lone run, as inclement weather ended the game in the middle of the sixth inning. Though not the way Rochester expected to gain its 26th win through 41 contests, the club will have an opportunity to tie the week-long series with a victory over Lehigh Valley on Sunday afternoon.
Casey hadn’t homered since April 26. The Red Wings are now 4-0 when he rounds the bases.
“He’s been working on some stuff, and sometimes you can push some guys down in the order to kind of take some pressure off,” Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy acknowledged. “But he’s one of the hardest-working guys we have and it was good to see him get freed up on a swing, man; he really crushed that ball, and it ended up being the game-winner.
“Him and [hitting coach Brian Daubach] are getting after it every day to try and find that good rhythm and good position to hit, be on time and all that. Really happy that he had that at bat and he had a nice walk, too.”
Andrew Stevenson recorded the team’s other base hit with a double to lead off the bottom of the first, although he was thrown out stretching that double into a triple by center fielder Matt Vierling.
Jackson Tetreault and Colton Eastman conducted a pitcher’s duel, striking out a combined 11 of the 40 batters they faced. Alberto Baldonado relieved Tetreault in the sixth and retired the side in order, striking out IronPig stars Darick Hall and Nick Maton and earning the save upon the contest’s completion.
Tetreault, who improved to 3-2, loaded the bases in the first but worked around it, striking out two batters and inducing a Yairo Muñoz groundout to strand the three baserunners. The 25-year-old retired 10 of the last 11 batsmen he faced, lowering his earned run average to 3.40.
“I thought he had some really good life to his fastball,” LeCroy assessed, “but his curveball, I actually thought his curveball gave him some easy, quick contact, soft contact that kind of got them off the fastball a little bit. Really, really proud for his effort. I know his pitch count was low, but the first two innings were… I hate to say the word stressful, but it was some high pitch count which led to some longer innings. But really, really happy with his outing, for sure.”
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The game may have been highlighted by a tense moment at the end of the fifth, when Luis García took exception to Eastman’s celebration after striking him out. García needed to be held back after the benches cleared, but no punches were thrown in the bench-clearer. LeCroy was the lone ejection after arguing home plate umpire Anthony Perez’s decision to warn the benches.
LeCroy was diplomatic about the entire ordeal.
“Just part of the game,” LeCroy said. “Pitcher was emotional; hitter was emotional. I don’t believe nothing was gonna happen. They gave out warnings and I thought the warning wasn’t right. I’m taking up for my players, and that’s all. This won’t go beyond tonight. Nothing big.”
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