BY JONATHAN SKUZA
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — “The pitcher is the one in trouble,” Rochester Red Wings shortstop Erick Mejia said.
Mejia drew a bases loaded walk in the 11th inning to lift the Rochester Red Wings (21-20) to 5-4 extra inning victory over the Buffalo Bisons (25-20) and their first full six game series win of the season Sunday afternoon.
“We fought extremely hard,” Red Wings manager Matthew LeCroy said. “The bullpen was outstanding. They kept us in it. Offensively we struggled, but we kept at it.”
Mejia came up to the dish in the second extra inning with the bases loaded and one out and had Buffalo’s Mike Mayers right where he wanted him. The 29 year old knew that Mayer had to pitch to him with the bases loaded and no where to put Mejia. The Villa Mella, Dominican native stayed patience through the whole at-bat and saw five pitches that led to a walk-off walk for Rochester.
”It was really good,” Mejia said. “I’m here to help the team win and I felt good about getting the win.”
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LeCroy echoed the same thing as Mejia in reference to the situation that led to the victory.
”When you’ve got the bases loaded, the pitcher is on the bottom, he’s not in control of that at all,” the Red Wings skipper said.
Early in the 11th, Trey Lipscomb tied the ballgame with an RBI double that scored Travis Blankenhorn, who was the ghost runner to start the inning.
”It was a big hit,” LeCroy said. “That shows what he’s capable of. I’m excited he’s here.”
The Red Wings’ play throughout Sunday’s contest saw some highs and lows.
Rochester started off the contest going six up, six down, but then broke through in the third inning with a three run frame. Drew Millas scored the game first run on a wild pitch after leading off the inning with a base hit. Mejia and Darren Baker came around to score after James Wood extended his on-base streak to 25 games with a two RBI base hit to extend Rochester’s lead.
”Just feels like another day,” Wood said about his mindset during the on-base streak.
”I’m very pleased with what he’s done so far,” LeCroy said. “He’s a worker and he wants to learn everyday, so we’re gonna stay on him.”
After a Lipscomb double the following inning, the Red Wings had 15 straight batters not reach base through the middle and late parts of the ballgame.
During the offensive drought, Buffalo was able to find their way back into their ballgame in the fifth and sixth innings. Spencer Horwitz and Rafael Lantigua brought the Bisons within one with each collecting an RBI base hit. Will Robertson tied the game the following with the third RBI base hit for Buffalo.
Rochester in the ninth and 10th inning had a chance to secure the victory and send the 8,635 in attendance at Innovative Field happy as they had the bases loaded, but couldn’t find the magical hit or walk to do so.
”When we get in those big spots, we get big and we kind of get away from our approach,” LeCroy said.
Mejia was the hero after the Red Wings loaded up the bases for the third straight inning with his patience at the plate.
Jackson Rutledge got the ball for Rochester and pitched four strong innings, before getting into some trouble in the fifth. The right-hander finished with four and two-thirds innings of work with six strikeouts and giving up two runs on six hits.
The Rochester bullpen kept the Red Wings in the contest, as five arms came in and limited the Buffalo offense to two runs on one hit and three walks while fanning six.
Rochester will look to build of a strong series as they will look to get more games above .500
The Rochester Red Wings (21-20) will travel to Allentown, PA on Tuesday to start a series with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (16-25). The two teams will play a double header to make up a game that was rained out on April 2. Game one is slated for 11:05 a.m. with starters for both teams yet to be announced.
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