By Dan Glickman
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Omaha Storm Chasers had won 11 games in a row. The Rochester Red Wings ended that on Tuesday, defeating the AAA affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, 5-4.
“That team’s hot as a firecracker,” said Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy. “[They had] a big 11-game winning streak, and we were able to stop it. Really good, and hopefully, we can get on a roll.”
The Wings pulled off the win through excellent pitching in the early and late innings and crucial hits from the Wings lineup.
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“From top to bottom, our lineup is just absolutely relentless,” third baseman Jake Alu said. “And we’ve got guys who can take it deep into games and close it out, so that’s a pretty deadly combo.”
Rochester starting pitcher Wily Peralta shut out the Storm Chasers in five innings, allowing two hits and striking out four. Tuesday was his fifth straight start going five innings or more while allowing three or fewer runs.
“He’s just throwing more strikes,” says LeCroy. “He knows how to pitch, he’s a veteran. I just think he can continue doing what he can. I know he can help our big league team.”
It was a windy game early on. Two well-struck balls by Derek Hill and Alu in the bottom of the first died short of the wall when they may have gone over it if the wind was going a different direction. Instead, the first run for the Red Wings came through patience and clutch hitting.
With two outs, left fielder Alex Call walked in his first plate appearance since being sent down by the Washington Nationals on the 16th. Call then stole second before designated hitter Nomar Mazara knocked a single to left. Mazara was thrown out at second trying to stretch the single into a double, but Call had already come around to score and make it 1-0, Rochester.
Omaha pounced to a 4-1 lead when Peralta left the game, scoring four in the sixth, including two bases-loaded walks off Odalvi Javier in his first appearance since he played June 3 for AA Harrisburg.
“Wily pitched really well,” said LeCroy. “[But] Javier hadn’t pitched in a long time, for way too long. We try not to have anybody sit for more than three or four years.”
After reliever Jose Ferrer finished up the sixth, the Red Wings cut into the Omaha lead in the bottom of the inning courtesy of Call. After an infield single by Alu, Call ripped the ball deep over the left fence to make the game 4-3. Omaha manager Mike Jirschele came out to argue, saying that it had gone foul, but he was ejected from the game for his troubles, and the home run call stood.
Post-game, the 28-year-old Call stood with a 2-for-2 day, two walks, two RBI, and two runs scored.
“It was good to get back out there and get a good pitch to hit,” said Call. “Hitting it hard, that’s all I was focusing on.”
“There are some adjustments I want to make down here [and] try to get some confidence back and help this team however I can.”
The Wings then took the lead in the bottom of the seventh. With one out and men on first and second after walks earlier in the inning, Alu continued his hot streak with a double to left, scoring both runners to take the 5-4 lead. The Boston College product is now hitting .367 in June for Rochester with 15 RBI.
However, Omaha wouldn’t go quietly and they’d threaten again in the top of the eighth by putting men at first and second. Tyler Danish was able to force an inning-ending double play from longtime big leaguer Adeiny Hechavarria to end the inning without any threat. Gerson Moreno closed the game in the ninth for his second save of the year.
Ferrer took the win to move to 4-3. Storm Chasers’ reliever Dylan Coleman took the loss and the blown save to move to 0-2.
Despite the win, the Red Wings will, in the coming days, have to continue to adjust after some significant departures.
Longtime reliever Alberto Baldonado, whose 113 career appearances for the Red Wings are the most during the Nationals era, has been released to allow him to sign with a team in Japan. The signing is something that LeCroy said was “well-deserved” for the veteran. This season, the Panamanian left-hander had a 3.03 ERA in 29.2 innings pitched for Rochester.
Offensively, Rochester has lost third baseman Carter Kieboom to the injured list. The 25-year-old, who missed all of 2022 after Tommy John surgery, went on the IL due to an oblique injury. The former first-round pick had three home runs and 18 RBI in 26 games with Rochester this season. Alu is expected to pick up most of his time at third until he returns, says LeCroy.
In addition, right fielder Blake Rutherford was hurt while catching a sacrifice fly during the sixth. Rutherford returned to the bench by the end of the game, and LeCroy is hopeful that he won’t miss any time.
“He’ll be off tomorrow, and then we’ll re-evaluate him on Thursday,” he said, “but he shouldn’t be off long.”
Rochester (33-35, fifth in International League East, 12 games back) returns to action on Wednesday against Omaha (34-33, sixth in IL West, 10.5 games back). Major league veteran Paolo Espino (3-2, 4.50) is scheduled to start for the Wings against Max Castillo (2-6, 4.72). First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.
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