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BY DAN GLICKMAN
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – It’d been a long time since the Rochester Red Wings’ last game at Innovative Field: 16 days. Their return ended in chaos… and victory, as center fielder Dylan Crews singled with two outs in the ninth, only for a desperate attempt at a forceout by Lehigh Valley IronPigs shortstop Scott Kingery to go sailing past the second baseman, allowing the walk-off run to score to give the Red Wings a 4-3 win.
DYLAN CREWS…CHAOS…WINGS WALK IT OFF!!! pic.twitter.com/XX7I55iqBX
— Rochester Red Wings (@RocRedWings) July 24, 2024
The hit-and-error walk-off capped a two-run comeback that earlier saw Jake Alu– in his first at-bat since returning from a knee injury in May- hit a pinch-hit grounder through the right side to tie the game at three against Lehigh’s Max Lazar– only his second blown save of the season.
Since their last home game, the Red Wings had gone 3-6, including a sweep in Syracuse that saw their first-place lead for the second half turn into a one-game deficit. Tuesday’s series opener against the IronPigs – one of two teams with the one-game lead over Rochester- provided a chance to reboot. So far, so good: the Wings win, combined with a loss by Syracuse at Buffalo, means the Wings (14-8 in second half, 52-43 overall) are now in a three-way tie for first in the International League second half.
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“Tonight was a big night to set the tone for the rest of the week,” said Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy. “I love what our team is made of, we’ve got the talent, we just ran into a little hiccup there in Syracuse.”
After Lehigh Valley (14-8 in second half, 48-47 overall) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth on a Buddy Kennedy double, the Red Wings jumped ahead in the bottom half, but not without controversy.
Catcher Drew Millas led off the inning and jumped on a Kolby Allard fastball down the middle, smashing it to left at 104.1 MPH. The ball hit above the yellow line and hit a railing in front of the outfield seating, bouncing far back, almost halfway to the infield. However, third-base umpire Steve Hodgins didn’t call a home run as Millas motored to second. LeCroy and third base coach Billy McMillan argued to no avail. Video evidence clearly showed the hit should have been a home run, but AAA doesn’t implement instant replay review.
“It hit off the pole,” LeCroy said confidently after the game. “It wouldn’t really sail [back] that far if it didn’t.”
An out later, designated hitter Travis Blankenhorn stepped to the plate, where he had what LeCroy called “the biggest hit of the game.”
Down 1-2 in the count, Blankenhorn fouled off the fourth pitch to keep the at-bat going. Then, he caught a cutter from Allard high in the zone and launched it to right-center at 100.9 MPH, sending it into one of Innovative Field’s pavilion areas for his 20th home run of the season, putting the Red Wings ahead, 2-1.
“[Allard had] given me a couple of heaters that I didn’t swing at, as I was looking [for something] soft,” said Blankenhorn, who is now tied for second in the International League in home runs. “I got two strikes, and then he threw me what I was looking for.”
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The home run continued a hot streak for Blankenhorn, who has had four home runs in his last nine games after hitting only two in the entire month of June.
“It’s the game of baseball, sometimes you go through some ups and downs,” he said. “I had some unlucky stretches, but you got to grind through those.”
The lead, however, wouldn’t hold. The IronPigs tied it up in the fifth on a Cal Stevenson triple, and then in the sixth, Kennedy hit a home run to move Lehigh Valley ahead 3-2. Kennedy ultimately went 4-for-4 against Rochester, finishing with a home run and two doubles.
Wings pitching held the lead to one the rest of the game, however. In the ninth, after the “Rally Gorilla” stormed the top of the Red Wings dugout to fire up the nearly 8,000 fans at Innovative Field, first baseman Joey Meneses started the inning on a good note, doubling to start. Erick Mejia pinch-ran for Meneses and came around to score the tying run on Alu’s single. After a forceout at second, Crews hit into the chaotic final play- ending the game and the Red Wings’ four-game losing streak- their longest of the season.
On the mound, Brad Lord started the game, going five innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits while striking out four in the no-decision. Closer Rico Garcia earned the win to move to 5-2 in relief, throwing a hitless ninth while striking out two.
Rochester and Lehigh Valley continue their series on Wednesday at 6:05 P.M. Rochester has right-hander Kyle Luckham (AAA debut) scheduled to start, while Lehigh Valley expects to send out righty Mick Abel (2-7, 6.88).
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