BY DAN GLICKMAN
An eight-run first inning powered the Rochester Red Wings to a 10-4 victory over the Buffalo Bisons on Tuesday in Buffalo.
All eight runs in the first came with two outs, as the Wings (6-2 in the second half, 44-37 overall) opened the scoring when Juan Yepez and Trey Lipscomb drew back-to-back walks, with Lipscomb’s walk forcing home Darren Baker from third to make it 1-0. Shortstop Jackson Cluff followed with a single to bring in Riley Adams, then Alex Call lined a 2-2 fastball from Chad Green to center to bring in two more and extend the lead to 4-0.
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Paxton Schultz replaced the Buffalo (3-5 in the second half, 40-42) starter, but the Rochester hits kept coming, with Brady Lindsly singling home Cluff before Dylan Crews doubled to left to score two and put the Wings up 7-0. Darren Baker finished the scoring with a single to center, scoring Crews.
Those eight runs would prove all the Red Wings would need, but they got two additional runs of insurance in the fifth when Buffalo’s Abdiel Mendoza left a 1-0 sinker high to Cluff, who sent it 104.5 MPH over the right-center field fence for a two-run home run. Cluff’s sixth AAA homer of the season was part of a 2-for-4, three RBI night for the Coloradan.
On the mound, left-hander Andrew Alvarez earned his first AAA win with a five-inning start, allowing seven hits and four earned runs, three of them on solo home runs. Four more Red Wing relievers combined to hold the Bisons scoreless over the final four innings: Orlando Ribalta, Amos Willingham, Joan Adon, and Rico Garcia.
Crews went 2-for-5 with two RBI at the plate, while Call went 2-for-4 with two runs driven in and a stolen base. Juan Yepez walked twice and scored twice.
The Red Wings, currently leading the International League in the second half, conclude their three-game road series with Buffalo on Wednesday at 6:05 P.M., with righty Thaddeus Ward (4-3, 6.56) against a Buffalo starter to be named. The Wings then return home on Thursday, the Fourth of July, for a 6:45 P.M. contest.
Wings have used the big inning a lot this season! But when they do it early, they give the bad guys a chance to come back, and with this pitching staff it happens too much.
Having said that, a 6-2 start is pretty decent. I wonder how long they can keep it up?
Wings use a lot of those early big innings to take big leads…and then the pitching staff gives a lot of this away.
Still, a 6-2 start is the best we’ve seen from a Wings team in quite awhile so I hope they can somehow keep it up and make a horserace out of the 2nd half.
I’m encouraged somewhat by the fact that Wood missed a lot time and the Wings didn’t fall apart, so his absence won’t necessarily be a killer for their season.