BY DAN GLICKMAN
The Rochester Red Wings continued their hot streak on Friday, defeating the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 11-5, behind two home runs and a four-hit, four-RBI night from right fielder Robert Hassell III, who finished a triple away from the cycle.
The Wings (26-45), who have yet to lose since starting their six-game series in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, jumped ahead early on Friday thanks to Hassell. Facing a 1-0 pitch from Lehigh starter Wil Crowe, the left-hander jumped on a 92.2 MPH fastball, knocking it at 101.6 MPH 398 feet over the right-center field fence in Allentown. Although the IronPigs (46-27) grabbed the lead in the bottom of the second against Red Wings starter Cade Cavalli, the Wings tied it up on an RBI ground-out by Yohandy Morales in the third before jumping ahead, 3-2, in the the fourth thanks to a wild pitch by Crowe that allowed Trey Lipscomb to come home. Hassell then drove in two more with a bases-loaded double to make it 5-2. Lehigh Valley would never seriously threaten the Red Wings again, and by the time Hassell hit his second home run of the night in the seventh he was extending the Rochester lead to 10-2.
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Second baseman J.T. Arruda also homered with an eighth-inning shot that brought the Wings’ lead to 11-2. Although Lehigh Valley scored a run in the bottom of the eighth on a wild pitch and chalked up two in the ninth on a two-run home run from from Rodolfo Castro, it was too little, too late.
Other key Red Wings performers included Lipscomb, who went 3-for-5 with two doubles, an rBI, and two runs scored as well as a stolen base. Morales and Blake Schnell doubled, while Andrew Pinckney had two hits, two runs scored, and two RBI. Cavalli earned the win on the mound with a six-inning showing, allowing five hits and two earned runs while striking out five and walking three.
Although the Red Wings have long been eliminated from contention for the International League’s first half title, their win on Friday continued their spoiler status, sending the IronPigs into a tie with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp for the best record with the league. With two games left in the first half, Rochester may hold the first half fate of an International League playoff spot in its hands.
The Wings will have that chance on Saturday, when they send right-hander Seth Shuman to the mound at 6:35 p.m. against Lehigh Valley righty Andrew Painter.
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