Jake Alu connected on a three-run home run in the top of the fifth inning, but it was not enough as the Rochester Red Wings lost to the Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders, 12-7 on Saturday.
The Red Wings started off strong in the top of the second inning. After two ground ball singles from both Riley Adams and Stone Garrett plus a walk from Trey Lipscomb, Erick Mejia singled on a line drive to bring home both Adams and Lipscomb. The RailRiders responded in the same exact inning after both T.J. Rumfield and Taylor Tremmell got on base. J.C. Escarra grounded into a double play which brought Rumfield home, making the score 2-1.
Brady House made it a 4-1 game in the third with a two-run home run, that also scored Andrew Pickney.
The RailRiders responded quickly again with a walk from Jahmai Jones and a single from Jason Domínguez. Oswald Peraza followed with a huge me run to knot the game at 4-4.
A Jorbit Vivas single brought home Carlos Narvaez, for a 5-4 Scranton/Barre edge in the fourth.
The Red Wings’ fifth round push was massive, scoring three more points to make the score 7-5. The RailRiders would respond with even more continued firepower, starting with a Rumfield double. Escarra doubled to bring home Rumfield, then Narvaez hit a lead taking home run to bring home Rumfield and himself.
Jones, Vivas, and Domínguez all left the yard in the fifth for the Railriders.
The Red Wings are now 70-59 and have dropped down to fourth in the International League, 32-24 in the second half of the season. The series finale matchup against Scranton is tomorrow at PNC field. The first pitch is slated for 1:05 p.m. EDT.
Hey if you are going to lose…lose BIG. Bring in a reliever, have him face 5 hitters, bet nobody out and give up 4 HR’!
In micrcosm, the Wings pitching staff this season which has prevented them from being serious contenders.
The game was ugly. The loss was ugly. Try today to get a split in the series.
Wings hung on to win Sunday splitting the series. This is the 6th series the Wings have split during the 2nd half. I had said previously the Wings had not lost a series 2nd half, but I had forgotten about that mini 3 game series with Syracuse that the Wings got swept in. Other than that, they won 3 series 5-1. Overall, they stand 9 over .500 for the 2nd half, which isn’t good enough to finish 1st overall.
They have 18 games to play..Woosox, Indy and Iowa, 12 at home, 6 away. They trail Columbus by 4.5 games so it would take both a Clipper collapse and the Wings overcoming what DC has done to their roster for the miracle finish.