BY DAN GLICKMAN
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – No Travis Blankenhorn? No problem. A day after losing their hottest hitter to a big league call-up spurred by trade deadline deals, the Rochester Red Wings battered the pitching of the Omaha Storm Chasers- the team with the best record in the International League- for a 15-4 win.
The Red Wings (17-11 in the second half, 55-46 overall, 0.5 game back in the IL in the second half) hit four home runs on the night and twice scored four runs in an inning despite “only” managing 10 hits, thanks to five errors by the Storm Chasers (15-13 in the second half, 64-37 overall, clinched playoff berth in first half).
“A lot of good things from our team [tonight],” said Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy. “Our defense was really good, we made some really nice plays, turned a few double plays, and took advantage of some errors they made.”
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“We worked, we battled, we got some walks, and got some big hits and big homers.”
It was the team’s second-most home runs in a game this season (behind five home runs twice), while Omaha’s defensive misplays were the worst for a Wings opponent since September 29, 2021, when Scranton/Wilkes-Barre committed six errors.
Joey Meneses, Brady House, Jack Dunn, and Drew Millas all homered, with Meneses starting it all off in the bottom of the first. With center fielder Dylan Crews on first after a lead-off single but with two outs since, the 32-year-old first baseman- who LeCroy says is starting to “heat up”- got a change-up down the middle from Omaha starter Anthony Veneziano and punished the pitch, whacking it 381 feet to left field to make it 2-0. It was his third AAA home run of the season, all of which have come in the last week.
Meneses, who was sent down from Washington after struggling for much of the year at the plate, has been working on getting his hitting back into the form that made him a big league regular ever since a call-up in 2022.
“I’ve been working a lot in the cage on my rhythm, been working a lot on my separation and my leg kick, and I’ve been feeling much better,” he said post-game.
“When I was in the big leagues, I wasn’t doing well, but I’m going to come down here and work, and I hope to be back there soon.”
If he continues to have games like Tuesday night, that return to Washington could come sooner rather than later. He went 2-for-3 with three RBI, four runs scored, and two walks on the night. The third RBI of the night came in the third inning, when he singled home Millas home to extend the Wings lead to three.
The third baseman House followed with his second home run at AAA and his first at Innovative Field, sending a towering no-doubter into the Rochester night with an exit velocity of 104.3, landing 420 feet to left center near the Wings scoreboard, where a group of dogs at the ballpark for “Bark in the Park Night” were seated. The two run shot lengthened the Wings lead to 5-0.
Meanwhile, on the mound, righty Kyle Luckham went five innings in his first AAA win, allowing a walk and five hits, and only one major mistake- one that nearly never happened. With two outs in the fourth, Luckham appeared to throw a called third strike against Nelson Velazquez, only for the call to be overturned by the ABS challenge system. The following pitch was deposited over the left field fence for a three-run home run- the only earned runs Luckham allowed all night.
The game wasn’t 5-3 for long, as the Red Wings scored four in both the fifth and sixth (including Dunn’s home run) to go up 13-3, and then put up two on a Drew Millas homer in the seventh for the final 15-4 score.
All but two of the Red Wings’ starters reached base by hit or walk in the total team victory, with Crews leading the way with three hits in five at-bats, including an RBI double in the fifth. House went 2-for-4 with a walk, driving in four runs and helping turn two of the team’s three double plays.
Interestingly, one of the two players who didn’t reach base by hit or walk was Blankenhorn’s de-facto replacement on the Wings’ roster, shortstop Jose Tena. Acquired in the deal that sent Lane Thomas to Cleveland and opened a spot on the major league roster for Blankenhorn, Tena- one of the league leaders in hits- had a rare bad night, going 0-for-5. But the fact that he was in Rochester so soon after the trade at all was something that LeCroy praised post-game.
“I was shocked when they told me that he’d be here tonight for the game,” he said. “And that says a lot about the kid, I’m really happy that he’s going to be in our lineup.”
The Red Wings- and Tena- continues their series with the Storm Chasers on Wednesday at 1:05 P.M. with right-hander Jackson Rutledge (4-6, 7.31 ERA) on the mound. Omaha will send out left-hander Noah Cameron in his AAA debut.
disappointed that Blankenhorn won’t finish here to perhaps pick up some major hitting stats for the Wings (HR’s, RBI) Do the Nats need him? No. They are going nowhere. Did he deserve the recall? Yes he earned it.
Meanwhile Yepez is really mashing and making the most of his recall. Wood is hot and cold. He certainly won’t be back though no matter how he does in the final 2 months.
Wings only 1/2 game back of the lead but probably need to win the series to stay in contention.
Anything is possible.