Red Wings can’t tie up IronPigs, fall 7-4

BY DAN GLICKMAN

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Rochester Red Wings had an opportunity to tie the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in the second half standings on Saturday- but they couldn’t pull it off, falling to the Phillies affiliate, 7-4, at Innovative Field.

Lehigh Valley grabbed a lead in the first inning and never relinquished it, despite the best efforts of the still-hot Travis Blankenhorn, who went 3-for-4 and finished a triple short of the cycle.

“The tempo was kind of set early on when they hit the three-run homer in the first,” said Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy. “We did answer, but we just couldn’t keep it close. “

Instead of tying the IronPigs atop the league, the loss moved the Red Wings (15-11 in second half, 53-46 overall) to two games behind in the second half standings behind Lehigh Valley (17-9 in second half, 51-48 overall). The Columbus Clippers also stand between the Red Wings and first, a half-game back of Lehigh Valley.

VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM JOE TERRITO.

The IronPigs took the lead in the first inning, as Kody Clemens launched a one-out 3-1 fastball from Andrew Alvarez over the right field wall for a three-run home run to make it 3-0. The 28-year-old son of seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens has continually menaced the Red Wings throughout his career, especially in Rochester: his 380-foot shot was his 10th career homer against the Red Wings, and his ninth at Innovative Field.

“I make jokes about it before the games with him,” said LeCroy. “You know, maybe he’ll go up there right-handed, but he still may hit a home run.”

Centerfielder Dylan Crews provided an instant spark in the bottom of the first, knocking a ball off the right-field wall and speeding in to third for his first AAA triple before scoring on a Alex Call double to make it 3-1.

That’d be the last run the Red Wings got off David Buchanan, a 35-year-old veteran of the majors and professional leagues in Asia, who moved to 8-3 with the win. Rochester managed only four hits against him over five innings.

“Buchanan kept us off balance,” said LeCroy. “He had a nice cutter, his breaking ball was working.”

The IronPigs, meanwhile, built on their lead, adding another run in the fourth off Alvarez before striking for three runs (two of them earned) against Joan Adon– two in the fifth, and one in the sixth to make it 7-1.

Blankenhorn’s home run, his third in the last two games, came in the bottom of the sixth, when he got hold of a ball up and in and launched it 104.6 MPH over center field for his 23rd of the season, second to Memphis’ Luken Baker for the International League lead, narrow the Pigs’ lead to 7-2. The Pennsylvanian is hitting .270 with six home runs in the second half and is slashing .282/.325/.620 in July, his best month since April and a marked improvement after he hit below .200 in May and June.

“I definitely think I go on streaks where I feel a bit more confident,” he said postgame. “I’m seeing the ball better than other times, like last month I don’t think I saw it as well as I am right now. So that’s the game of baseball.”

With two outs in the seventh, Lehigh Valley threatened to get that run back, as Scott Kingery singled to center and the speedy Matt Kroon made his way home. Crews got to the ball quickly and unleashed a throw straight to home, which bounced once before catcher Drew Millas grabbed it and tagged Kroon to end the inning and the threat.

The play brought the crowd of 8,310 to their feet, but it wasn’t a surprise to the top prospect’s manager.

“He’s a solid defender, no matter where you put him,” said LeCroy. “That throw wasn’t nothing, that wasn’t unexpected. I expected him to throw that guy out.”

Dylan Crews deadeye 🎯 pic.twitter.com/0kbRgpLoIF

— Rochester Red Wings (@RocRedWings) July 28, 2024

For a time, it looked like that saved run would be critical, as the Red Wings opened the ninth with a Millas single before Stone Garrett singled himself and then moved to second on an error. However, two RBI groundouts followed, and the Wings were unable to get any more runners on, leading to the 7-2 defeat.

With the loss, the Red Wings can only hope to tie the six-game series on Sunday. A win would again get the team to within one of Lehigh Valley.

“Tomorrow’s a big game for us,” said LeCroy. “We’ll be ready to go and give them everything we got.”

Rochester concludes its series with that “big game” against Lehigh Valley on Sunday at 1:05 P.M., with right-hander Brad Lord (2-0, 4.21). The IronPigs starter is unknown, as their previously-scheduled starter, lefty Kolby Allard, was called up to the Phillies on Saturday.