Cole Freeman hit ninth for the Red Wings in Sunday’s day-early Independence Day game. Although he was hitting last, though, he would be a big reason the Wings would come in first against the Worcester Red Sox, winning 9-8.
Whether it was in the field or at the plate, the LSU product would prove to be the playmaker on Sunday, making a great catch in the third and hitting the go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth.
That home run in the eighth, his second of the season and his first since May 24, was especially noteworthy for Freeman because of who was in the stands. Sitting among the 10,000-plus fans was his family, who had come from out of town to visit for the July 4 weekend.
“That was for sure the best part of the night,” said Freeman post-game. “You don’t get too many games in pro ball, obviously with all the travel, to have your family there.
“So, that was a special night.”
For much of the homestand, the Red Wings have often found themselves behind early. It’s a fate that they were able to avoid on Sunday. In the bottom of the first, Joey Meneses jumped on an 0-1 pitch from Michael Feliz, sending the ball over the visitors bullpen in left for his 16th on the season. The estimated 443-foot shot made it 1-0. Josh Palacios then walked before being driven home on a double by Riley Adams to make it 2-0. The early lead on Sunday was the first time the Red Wings had scored before their opponent since June 24.
In the third, the Red Sox designated hitter Ronaldo Hernandez put a scare into the crowd with a hard-hit ball deep to left-center with two out. It was then that Freeman made a leaping catch to prevent extra-bases before colliding with the wall near the Luke Easter retired number display. He went to the ground for a second before getting back up and heading to the dugout to a round of applause.
For Freeman, such a play was just part of how he approaches the game.
“Every time I get on that field, I play my butt off,” said Freeman. “I play the best I can. If I’ve got to run into the wall to try and make the play for the team, I’m going to do it. If I have to put my body on the line, I’m going to do it.”
Anibal Sanchez, the 2013 American League ERA champion, was on the mound for his second rehab appearance with the Wings. He struck out seven in four-and-two-thirds innings of work, striking out seven while giving up five hits, walking three, and allowing three earned runs. All three runs came in the fourth, as a hit and two walks loaded the bases before Worcester’s Devlin Granberg hit a two-out triple to put Worcester ahead 3-2.
“He made one mistake tonight,” said manager Matthew LeCroy. “We all thought he was better than he was last time. He was a bit sharper, had a couple of walks, but he was in command of both sides of the plate when he needed to with a good mix.”
The Red Wings would get that run back in the bottom of that inning, though, thanks to a solo home run by Adams to tie it 3-3. Adams, who had just been sent down by Washington, went 2-4 on the day.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Red Wings pulled ahead. A lead-off double by Adrian Sanchez was followed up with a Freeman single that moved him to third. A sacrifice fly by Stevenson then drove in Sanchez to make it 4-3. Freeman scored later in the inning on another sac fly to make it 5-3, this time by Meneses.
Although the Red Sox would get to within a run in the sixth, the Red Wings pulled further ahead in the bottom of that inning. With two men in scoring position, Adrian Sanchez sent a bouncing ground up the middle that struck the second-base bag and bounced high into the air before landing in the outfield. By the time the ball got back into the infield, Jake Noll and Nick Banks had scored to make it 7-4.
Worcester still weren’t beaten, however, as they scored three in the eighth on three hits and two walks to tie it up again at 7-7. The tying run would score after a swinging wild pitch to Ryan Fitzgerald with two outs. While the Wings were able to get the third out on the basepaths, it didn’t come until after Jaylin Davis had scored to tie the score.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Wings finally pulled ahead for good, as Nick Banks got on base with one out on a hit-by-pitch before being pinch-hit by Matt Lipka. Lipka’s speed would not be necessary, as an out later Freeman hit his home run to bring him home. The home run ended Freeman’s night at 2-3 with a HR, 2 RBI, and a walk.
Even after Freeman’s home run, the Red Sox didn’t go quietly in the ninth, as a two-out rally scored one and put the tying run on second before Tyler Clippard struck out Jaylin Davis to end the game. Clippard, the major league veteran, moved to 4-1 on the year with the win in relief.
The Red Wings, finally, had ended their five-game losing streak. It wasn’t easy, but LeCroy was happy with how his team continually fought for the win.
“Instead of pouting, they went out and battled, got a big hit, and finished it out,” he said.
The Red Wings now head to Allentown to face Lehigh Valley, beginning with a July 4 game on Monday. They will return to Rochester on July 12 to begin a series with the Omaha Storm Chasers.
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