The Rochester Red Wings lost their second straight game to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Saturday, 9-1.
The loss moves the Wings to 43-40, tied for fourth in the International League East.
Sterling Sharp took the ball for his third start against the IronPigs this season and immediately ran into some trouble in the first. With four straight one-out hits, the IronPigs jumped to an early 3-0 lead, including two runs on a Josh Ockimey double that ended with Ockimey getting thrown out at second. Although Sharp would throw four shutout innings after that, he would give up two more in the sixth before leaving the game after five-and-two-thirds innings.
The Red Wings would get on the board in the top of the seventh after the IronPigs brought in Ryan Sheriff for starter Michael Plassmeyer, who had held the Wings to just three hits in six-and-one-third innings while striking out five. Against Sheriff, Josh Palacios and Jake Noll got consecutive one-out singles, with Palacios scoring on a two-out Taylor Gushue single to make it 5-1.
The IronPigs would put the game out of reach for good in the bottom of the seventh, scoring four runs to make it 9-1 in an inning that included two bases-loaded walks. That score would hold until the end of the game.
Besides the loss, there is additional concern about the status of Francisco Perez, who came in with one out and bases loaded in the seventh. However, he was taken out of the game before even throwing a pitch, which is only allowed in cases of injury. It is not yet clear what Perez’s condition is going forward.
A bright spot for the Red Wings came in the form of Palacios. Playing DH on Saturday, the outfielder went 3-4 on the day, extending his team season-high on-base streak to 18 games.
The Red Wings will try for a series split on Sunday with a 5:35 p.m. game in Allentown. Logan Verrett is scheduled to take the mound.
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