BY JONATHAN SKUZA
ROCHESTER, N.Y.- – The Rochester Red Wing offense was held in check as they fell for the third night in a row to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 8-2 Friday evening.
“We just really couldn’t string it along to get back in it,” Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy stated about the loss.
Rochester who has scored six or more runs in the first three games of the series, was held to two runs on six hits and two walks. The Red Wings offense struggled to get runners on base as they managed a total of two base runners through the first five innings. Rochester went down in order four times throughout the contest.
Rochester finally wiped the zero off the scoreboard when Luis Garcia grounded out to score Cody Wilson in the sixth inning. Wilson led off the inning with a double.
Travis Blankenhorn scored on a wild pitch in the ninth for Rochester’s other run in a very short lived rally.
“The guy [Nick Nelson] had a pretty decent mix and we just couldn’t get it going,” LeCroy said about the offense. “We’ve been pretty good the last few days, it’s one of those nights where we just couldn’t string much together.”
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The lethal offense of Lehigh Valley was held at bay for three innings. The IronPigs exploded for six runs in the fourth inning which was highlighted by a Cal Stevenson grand slam.
Stevenson’s grand slam was the second one surrendered by Red Wings pitching in the series.
The Rochester offense couldn’t dig themselves out of the deficit Lehigh Valley had created for them.
Lehigh Valley put the game completely out of reach in the ninth when they added two more runs to their lead on two hits and an error.
“When you fall behind like we’ve been falling behind with the big innings, it gets harder and harder because it’s not easy to score six runs in baseball,” LeCroy sated.
Despite the rough two innings, Rochester pitching was able to neutralize the Lehigh Valley offense that has tagged them hard all week. Before running into trouble in the fourth inning, Wily Peralta pitch three solid innings. He only allowed a hit and a walk through the first three innings of the ball game. The right handed retired five Lehigh batters in a row.
Amos Willingham was first to come to in relief for Rochester after recently being sent back down from Washing ton. Willingham finished out the fourth inning and retired the next seven batters he faced after giving up a triple to Kody Clemens.
“Just going after guys and trying to get ahead,” Willingham stated about his performance on the mound. “We had a pretty long meeting before the game about making sure that we’re throwing strikes and getting ourselves in good counts. That was my main focus. It’s my main focus every time I go out there. I just try to attack hitters and throw strikes.”
Anthony Banda finished the game for Rochester out of the pen. Banda ate up the final three innings setting down the first seven IronPigs he faced before getting into some trouble in the ninth inning.
“I’m really proud of Banda, he’s been working on some stuff,” LeCroy stated about Banda. “He’s trying to get some more life on the ball and tonight he came out and threw the ball well.”
After a couple rough outings from the bullpen this week for Rochester, Willingham and Banda’s performances were the stability the Red Wings were looking for pitching wise as they will look to earn the split in the final two games of the series.
“We just have to do a better job at keeping them close,” LeCroy said. “I know we can score, but we just have to give ourselves a chance to win.”
The Rochester Red Wings (18-19/52-58) will look to get back in the series as they will continue their series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs Saturday at 6:45 p.m. Rochester will send right-handler Jackson Rutledge (1-1, 5.58) while righty Shaun Anderson (1-0, 3.86) will be on the bump for Lehigh Valley.
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