BY MIKE ROSE
ROCHESTER, NY — The wind was gusting and the ball was flying over the fence early and often Sunday but in the end the Toledo Mud Hens did just enough to edge out the Rochester Red Wings, 8-7. The loss by Rochester resulted in a series split after they dropped the final two games of the set.
“Both teams battled we just couldn’t keep them from scoring when we scored, that big shutdown inning that we needed we didn’t get it,” Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy said.
On the day Rochester mashed five home runs, including a pair from Travis Blakenhorn. However, all five home runs were solo shots as the Red Wings again struggled to cash in with runners in scoring position. As a team, they went 0-for-4 on Sunday with runners in scoring position.
“I don’t think we have an issue it’s just unfortunate timing,” Blankenhorn said. “Obviously we hit five homers today but with nobody on but I mean what are you gonna do. We’re just trying to put good swings on the ball and just did it with nobody on.”
The back-and-forth affair began in the second when Blakenhorn got ahold of his first long ball of the day 435 feet. Two batters later, Jake Alu sent his first home run of the season off the scoreboard to make it a 2-0 game. Toledo responded swiftly to take the lead in the top of the third on a three-run homer from Jace Jung.
Juan Yepez and Alex Call joined the home run party in the fourth to give Rochester back a 4-3 lead. Once again Toledo answered right back. Jung worked a walk followed by a single from Keston Hiura. Red Wings starter Joan Adon retired the next two batters bringing Ryan Vilade to the plate who had two hits off Adon already. Vilade made it a hat trick driving a two-run double into right field for his third hit of the day. Corey Joyce plated Vilade to put the Mud Hens ahead 6-4.
Darren Baker drove in the first run of the game for the Red Wings which wasn’t a home run with an RBI double in the fifth to make it a 6-5 game. Toledo responded again in the sixth. Hiura delivered his third consecutive single triggering a move to the bullpen for left-hander Richard Bleier to face lefty Bligh Madris. Madris turned a on 2-0 sinker and sent it over the wall in right field to extend the Mud Hens lead once again. Blakenhorn belted his secomd home run of the day in the bottom half to start Rochester’s comeback effort.
James Wood led off a critical eighth inning with Rochester trailing by two. After working the count full he was called out on strikes when home plate umpire Darius Ghani said he went around on a check swing.
“I made it known I didn’t think he went,” LeCroy said. “It kind of took away a good at-bat that James had.”
Rochester’s next three hitters reached safely after the controversial call but Jake Alu bounced into a double play with the bases loaded to end the threat with no runs scored. Rochester would inch closer in the ninth thanks to a pair of fielding errors from Jung. Eventually, Yepez went down swinging with the tying and winning runs aboard to end the game.
“It’s a tough way to end a series at home, I thought we played good baseball but just didn’t execute on the mound today,” LeCroy said. “We gotta get more timely hits and we just gotta execute on the mound. You score seven runs in a game you hope chances are good that you win it. We just gotta be better in all aspects. It’s little things that come back to bite you. But that’s why you’re here. You’re here to learn and develop and try to win as many games as we can and I thought this was a good series but it’s a tough way to end it.”
On Tuesday, Rochester (9-9) will head on the road to take on the St. Paul Saints (8-12). Jackson Rutledge (1-0, 3.00) is slated to get the start for the Red Wings with the first pitch from CHS Field scheduled for 7:37 p.m.
Wings still don’t have pitching this year. Yesterday was one of those days. When your top prospect gets jobbed by the ump; then you load the bases only to have a decent hitter hit into a tailor made DP to end the inning with no runs; then you catch some breaks in the 9th only to end the game with a ‘k’ with two runners on, you know its not your day.
Oh–and you hit FIVE homeruns….all solo shots.
Wings have been a solid .500 club so far. Solid meaning they have been around .500 all year. How good are they? They have some decent bats. They still need some shutdown pitching, which has been an issue ever since Washington washed ashore as our parent.
James Wood has been up and down so far. That great game he had awhile ago has given way to some not so exciting AB’s. He’s young. He’s learning. He’s not ready for the Show. Must be careful. O’s brought up a redhot prospect Holliday. So far he is 1-30 with 16 k’s. Was that the correct move? How long do you keep him around? Some prospects get off to a very slow start (dial: Ripken, Cal in his first callup)
Anyway patience with Wood. Send him up when he has a few more dots to connect.
Next on the sked is St.Paul. We might remember them. They swept a 6 game series launching that miserable 19 game losing streak we have tried to put out of our mind. They are the Twins farm now (and I wish we still were…another story)
9-9 isn’t awful. We’ll see how things go this week.