BY JONATHAN SKUZA
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — For the second night in a row, the Rochester Red Wings used a complete team effort as they powered by the St. Paul Saints 11-8 Saturday evening.
”This was a team effort,” Red Wings manager Matthew LeCroy said. “We picked each other up and I’m glad it went our way, but I’m really proud of how the guys responded after the first inning.”
The Red Wings’ evening didn’t start off the best as St. PAul jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. The Saints sent all nine batters to the dish and used three walks and three hits to push Rochester down early.
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Rochester however did not let them bother them as they came back with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Jackson Cluff started off the big inning with a one out triple. After a Travis Blankenhorn walk, Juan Yepez drove in Cluff with an RBI base hit. Carter Kieboom with two outs collect a two RBI base hit to bring Rochester within one.
”This group here is probably one the closest,” LeCroy said. “The chemistry is off the charts right now for us and the guys are pulling for each other.”
After the first inning, the Rochester offense took off. Darren Baker drove in Jack Dunn with a sacrifice fly after Dunn led off the inning with a triple in the second.
Dunn two innings later gave the Red Wings their first lead off the evening after he took a 3-1 pitch 403 feet into the St. Paul bullpen as he was one of many bright spots for Rochester’s offensive team effort.
”You take it game by game,” Dunn said. “Their starting pitcher has a lot of good stuff and I didn’t see him well last game, so I figured I was gonna have to battle it out today.”
In the fifth inning, Rochester double its run total as they took a 10-4 lead. The Red Wings sent nine batters to the dish and scored all five runs with two outs in the inning. Brady Lindsly drove in two with an RBI base hit to start the big inning. Baker drove in two more runs with a base hit and Dunn scored the final run on Baker’s hit after St. Paul tried to throw out Baker advancing to second on a throw home.
Lindsly tacked on one more run for Rochester in the seventh inning with an RBI base hit after Alex Call led off the inning with a walk and stole second.
”I was just trying to go up there relax and battle as best as I can,” Lindsly said. “Just put balls in play especially when I was up again with the bases loaded and two outs.”
St. Paul clawed back into the game a little bit as they came within three in the eighth inning as they pushed across four runs. Matt Wallner had the big blow with a three-run home run to right center field on a 2-1 pitch.
Rochester’s closer Rico Garcia came in the ninth inning and shut the door for Rochester with a 1,2,3 inning with three strikeouts to seal the victory for the Red Wings.
”He’s been a veteran piece,” LeCroy said. “He’s really taken to that closer role. He came in and struck out the side. It’s good that guys are starting to get into their roles.”
Thaddeus Ward got the start for Rochester and struggled in the first inning where he surrendered four runs. However, War turned it around and finished his five inning start with four strong shutout innings for Rochester. The right-hander finished with seven strikeouts with giving up the four runs on seven hits and four walks.
”He kept his composure,” LeCroy said. “I was really happy with how he responded after that. He had three shutdown innings. For me, that’s a positive part of development for him.”
Rochester claimed the series against St. Paul with the victory and will look to make it four in a row on Sunday.
The Rochester Red Wings (29-25) and St. Paul Saints (24-30) will wrap up their series on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. as right-hander Joan Adon (3-3, 5.63) will toe the slab for Rochester while righty Randy Dobnak (3-4, 5.06) will take the mound for St. Paul.
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