By JONATHAN SKUZA
ROCHESTER, N.Y.– Andrew Stevenson reminded Wings fans why he bats lead-off and is top five in the International League in the hits category.
“He’s continuing to prove to people that he can play in the big leagues,” Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy stated about Stevenson’s performance
Stevenson recorded his fifth career three-hit game and drove in four runs to help Rochester defeat the Syracuse Mets 10-9 in International League action Thursday evening.
Stevenson showed off his power in the seventh inning with a two-run home run to put Rochester up 10-4.
Matt Lipka accounted for two of Stevenson’s four RBI. Lipka performed well for the Wings as well for a second straight night with two hits of his own and being driven in three times. Lipka helped Stevenson be a catalyst at the top of the lineup and drive in runs by getting on base.
“He provides that veteran presences at the top of the lineup,” LeCroy stated. “He get things going every night it seems and he just locks in.”
Every Red Wing in the lineup contributed at least one hit on Thursday. Along with Stevenson, Josh Palacios had a strong game as well with three hits and an RBI. Palacios recently started to get hot for Rochester.
“He had some big hits tonight and yesterday,” LeCroy said.
Palacios’s lone RBI came in the first inning when he got a base hit that brought Joey Meneses around to score.
Rochester’s offense only went two innings on Thursday without scoring a run. The Red Wings tallied a four-run fourth inning on five hits to give them a 6-0 lead.
The Mets responded the following inning with their own four-run inning. The four-runs came from a Nick Dini grand slam to make it 6-4.
Seven pitchers combined for 18 strikeouts on the evening. Starter Cory Abbott led all with a tied season-high six strikeouts in three innings of work.
“He was really good for his first two and then he had to fight through some traffic there at the end and he made a big pitch out of a jam there in the third inning,” LeCroy talking about Abbott’s performance.
Patrick Murphy struggled to finish the game out for Rochester. Murphy let up a run and had the bases loaded and did not record an out before being pulled in the ninth inning. He got tagged with three more runs on his night as Jordan Weems gave up a bases-clearing triple to Quinn Brodey. All the runners that scored were Murphy’s responsibility. Brodey’s triple brought the game within one run of it being tied. Weems did shut down the Mets to get the save and hold on for the win.
Rochester’s homestand continues Friday with a 7:05 pm start against Syracuse. Right-hander Jefry Rodriguez will take the mound for the Red Wings, while right-hander Trevor Cahill will pitch for the Mets.
Very good nice job keep on going
They nearly gave the game away in the 9th, (a 5 run lead) but for a bonehead baserunning blunder by the Mets. This wasn’t a stellar performance at all.