Bullpen excellent as Red Wings beat Worcester, 5-1, for sixth straight win

BY DAN GLICKMAN

Travis Blankenhorn homered, starting pitcher Andrew Alvarez struck out six, and the Red Wings bullpen allowed just one hit in four innings as Rochester won on Tuesday, 5-1, at the Worcester Red Sox.

The victory for the first-place Red Wings (11-2 in the second half, 49-37 overall) extended their winning streak to six, matching their season high.

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Strong pitching ruled the day for the Wings, as Andrew Alvarez allowed one earned run- a first-inning sacrifice fly- in five innings of work while allowing six hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. He was followed first by Joe La Sorsa, who allowed a hit in 1.1 innings before giving way to Eduardo Salazar (1.2 innings) and then Rico Garcia (one inning), who each held Worcester hitless.

Offensively, the Wings got on the board first in the top of the second, as Blankenhorn caught a 90 MPH sinker high on the second pitch of his leadoff at-bat and smashed it at 103.3 MPH to center to tie the game at one.

That score would remain until the top of the fifth, when Darren Baker broke the tie with a two-out bases-loaded single to center to bring in Alex Call and put the team ahead, 2-1.

Rochester would get some much-needed insurance in the top of the ninth, as Nationals’ No. 3 prospect Brady House led off with a single for his first AAA hit before moving to third on a Drew Millas single. Call followed, bringing home House with a sacrifice fly to right to make it 3-1. Millas scored later on a play at home before Carter Kieboom drove in the fifth and final run later in the inning

Centerfielder Dylan Crews went 2-for-5 on the night with a double, driving in Millas and stealing his fourth AAA base. Millas also had a two-hit night and stole a bag. First baseman Joey Meneses, in his first appearance for the Red Wings since 2022, went 0-for-2 and walked twice. Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy spent the final few innings in the clubhouse after getting ejected by third base umpire Matt Winter in the sixth.

With the win, Rochester extends its second-half lead to three games over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, who fell to Buffalo on Tuesday, 7-5.

The Red Wings return to play on Wednesday at 12:15 P.M. for game two of their series with Worcester. Righty Thaddeus Ward (4-3, 6.12) takes the mound against Red Sox right-hander Brad Keller (1-1, 8.44).