BY DAN GLICKMAN
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – When Jake Noll isn’t in the lineup, he has a philosophy: “You don’t have to get ready if you stay ready.”
On Tuesday night, against the league-leading Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Noll was most definitely ready, hitting a pinch-hit walk-off single with two outs in the ninth as the Rochester Red Wings stormed back with runs in each of the final three innings to win, 8-7.
Pinch-hitting for Cody Wilson in the ninth against Lehigh Valley’s Tyler McKay down 7-6, the man with the most Rochester hits in the Nationals era took the first pitch for a called strike before lacing a liner into left, bringing in the men from second and third for the victory.
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“He flipped over the slider first pitch, and I kind of flinched on it, so I was not sure if I should be looking for it again,” he said post-game. “[But] he threw the same pitch [again], and I put a good swing on it.”
It was the end of a wild game that included a little bit of everything, including a grand slam by Lehigh’s Kody Clemens, 10 walks by the Red Wings, nice defensive plays by Darren Baker and Luis Garcia, and finally the sixth walk-off win of the season for the Wings.
“I feel like throughout the whole season: we fight until the last out no matter what,” said Baker, who worked a 12-pitch walk in the ninth and later scored the tying run on Noll’s hit.
“It should give us some confidence going in,” said Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy.
The Red Wings took the opening lead in the second on an unusual play. After designated hitter Travis Blankenhorn walked, catcher Drew Millas beat a throw to first for an infield single to put two men on. Up stepped first baseman Matt Adams, who smashed a 3-0 pitch deep to right-center. The ball just missed being a home run but avoided the outstretched glove of center fielder Simon Muzziotti. Blankenhorn scored, but the Pigs caught Millas between second and third and tagged him out. The umpire crew then called out Adams, saying that he had passed Millas on the basepaths earlier in the play. The bizarre play was ruled a single with a double play, putting the Red Wings up 1-0.
Starting pitcher Tommy Romero, making his first start since May 13, held Lehigh Valley hitless through the first 3.1 innings but ran into trouble in the fourth. With one out, the righty walked Rafael Marchan, who moved to third when Esteban Quiroz singled for the IronPigs’ first hit of the game. Marchan wasn’t on third for long: Millas threw to third to pick him off as he started down the third base line in anticipation of a possible squeeze bunt.
That pickoff at third was just a brief respite for Rochester, though. Romero walked Scott Kingery and was then replaced by Anthony Banda, who walked Cal Stevenson and then Jim Haley, tying the game at one. The next hitter, Clemens, smashed his grand slam to right-center to give Lehigh Valley the 5-1 lead.
Rochester got a run back in the fifth when Jack Dunn walked, stole second, and then worked his way home on a flyout followed by an error by IronPigs first baseman Darrick Hall, but the Iron Pigs scored two in the sixth on a home run by Jim Haley to extend their lead up to 7-2.
And then came the comeback. First came two runs in the seventh, as Erick Mejia brought home Jack Dunn on a double to make it 7-3. Later in the inning, Baker tripled down the right-field line on a hit that he later said had him thinking triple as soon as it left his bat, drawing the Wings to 7-4.
The next inning, the Red Wings drew even closer. Carter Kieboom, freshly returned from the injury list, led off with a single. After that, Lehigh reliever Andrew Bellati struggled with control, walking three straight to bring Kieboom home to make it 7-5. The Red Wings had the bases loaded with no outs, but McKay came in to relieve Bellati and got out of it with a pop-up and then a double play.
The IronPigs threatened to get some of those runs back in the ninth. After two strikeouts by Daniel Mengden to start the inning, three straight Lehigh Valley batters singled. The third of those hits, by Rafael Marchan, looked like it would roll into the outfield and allow a runner to score, but Garcia ranged over, grabbed it, and threw it in to first, nearly getting Marchan at first but still doing enough to hold the runner at third.
“He made a big play there,” said LeCroy.
Finally came the ninth. Richie Martin started the inning with a single, and then Baker worked a 12-pitch walk to, as he said, “pass the torch” deeper into the lineup. However, the next two batters struck out, forcing the Wings down to their final out. Travis Blankenhorn singled to right-center to score Martin, and then Drew Millas drew a walk to load the bases. And then came Noll, who LeCroy said he had intended to put in the previous inning if it had gone on any longer. His faith in the 29-year-old was rewarded with the game-winner, sending the 5,974 Red Wings faithful home happy as the team rushed the field in celebration.
“I get pumped when we win any game,” said LeCroy. “[But] when you’re down, it’s a little more special.”
The victory moves the Red Wings to 18-16 in the second half and 52-55 overall, 2.5 games of the IronPigs and the Worcester Red Sox, who moved into a tie with Lehigh with a 10-9 win over Buffalo on Tuesday.
Although eight teams are tied with or ahead of the Red Wings in the International League standings, Rochester will have plenty of opportunities to make up further ground.
“We control our fate here; everybody we’re playing is in front of us,” LeCroy said. “We’re trying to win every series, and tonight was a good start.”
The Red Wings and IronPigs (20-13, 56-50)) continue their series on Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. Lefty Alex Troop (0-0, 12.00) is expected to start against No. 4 Phillies prospect Griff McGarry (1-1, 3.13 in AA Reading), who is making his first start in AAA.
Michael Murty says
Great write up. Solid detail and echoes the excitement of the game.