BY DAN GLICKMAN
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Rochester Red Wings third baseman Yohandy Morales, better known as “Yoyo,” has been in baseball for most of his 23 years. The son of former Cuban national team infielder Andy Morales, the Miami-born righthander has played in almost every level of baseball except the majors. But at no point in his life, he said, had he ever hit a walk-off home run.
“Out of every level I’ve ever played,” he said.
Until Saturday night, that is, when Morales made his fifth AAA home run his most memorable yet, launching a ninth-inning Alex Hoppe cutter 107.6 MPH into the Rochester night to turn what looked like a humiliating 4-3 defeat into an instantly memorable 6-4 win against Worcester.
He’d had opportunities before, he said, but he hadn’t been able to pull it off until now- no matter how often he told his teammate Jose Tena he was going to.
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“We’re in the dugout, and Tena is after me, and I was like ‘Hey, you’re not hitting, don’t even put your things on,'” he said. “I’ve probably said that a couple of times, but it’s the first time that it actually happened.”
“Morales has been swinging the bat well, but he’s had a lot of hard contact that didn’t go his way,” said Red Wings (34-55, 7-10 in second half) manager Matt LeCroy. “But tonight, it did. It was a big [win] for us, we’ve been fighting all year long.”
The win was a reversal of what had happened to the Red Wings through much of the season, especially against the Worcester Red Sox (46-45, 5-12 in second half). Several times this season, the Red Wings have blown leads late and then failed to regain them, squandering good starts.
That’s where, before the bottom of the ninth, it seemed the game was heading. The Red Wings struck first on a two-out double from Trey Lipscomb in the fourth that plated two, and later added a third run on an Andres Chaparro solo shot in the bottom of the fifth. But aside from a broken-bat RBI double from Tyler McDonough in the fifth, Rochester’s pitchers had kept the Worcester Red Sox offense quiet for most of the game, with Bryce Conley going five strong innings of three-hit, six-strikeout ball before giving way to scoreless showings by Zach Brzykcy, Konnor Pilkington, and Joan Adon.
But then, the top of the ninth proved disastrous and saw the Red Wings’ 3-1 lead evaporate. Reliever Ryan Loutos, who had done well in AAA through much of the year and also saw action in the big leagues, forced what seemed like a relatively easy grounder from Sox third baseman Blaze Jordan. However, fielding from his position, Loutos threw the ball away, a two-base error that escalated with a Nathan Hickey single and then a go-ahead three-run home run from center fielder Trayce Thompson. It was now 4-3.
Through the season, the Red Wings have seen blown leads. And through the season, LeCroy would point out that they’d still keep fighting. It’s a mentality that has been noticed by the players as well.
“We haven’t been having the whole season that we want, but we’re always fighting, we’re always trying to do what we can to get on base and score runs,” said Morales. “And we never give up, we always try, no matter how many runs we’re down or what the situation is, we’re always trying to win games.”
On Saturday night, there was more than fighting or trying- there was achieving. Although Lipscomb grounded out to begin the ninth, Darren Baker followed with a pinch-hit grounder up the middle. Although Red Sox shortstop Nate Eaton got to the ball, it was far too deep and Baker far too fast, allowing the speedster to reach on the infield single. Robert Hassell III drew a walk to put the winning run on base against Hoppe.
And then, on the third pitch of the next at-bat, Morales sent the fans home happy. His first walk-off home run ever, and one that ensures at least a series tie with the Red Sox.
“It feels good,” said Morales. “It feels good.”
The Red Wings conclude their series with the Red Sox and head into the All-Star break on Sunday with a 1:05 p.m. game. Rochester righthander Cade Cavalli (3-3, 6.25) is scheduled to take the mound against WooSox left-hander Kyle Harrison (1-2, 7.62). The Wings will be in Lehigh Valley after the break starting Friday.
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