BY DAN GLICKMAN
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – On Tuesday, Rochester Red Wings starter Adrian Sampson was spectacular on the mound, going six innings while allowing just one hit and one run: a solo shot by Syracuse’s Jared Young. However, the Red Wings could manage only one run, and Syracuse ended up winning 2-1 by getting to the Rochester bullpen.
On Sunday, to conclude the six-game series, Sampson didn’t need to worry about run support, as the Red Wings (47-70, 20-25 in the second half) scored eight runs in the first inning, punctuated by a grand slam from second baseman Jackson Cluff, to finish the six-game series with a 9-4 win.
“We got out to that big start with eight runs,” said Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy. “Then for Sampson to do what he did in his second time against a good lineup, sometimes it’s a hard time to pitch, especially when you’ve got a comfortable lead.”
“But he maintained his focus, he attacked the zone, and had a good mix.”
The victory gave Rochester a 4-2 series victory over Syracuse (62-58, 31-14 in the second half) and ensured an overall 9-9 season split between the squads.
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After the Washington state native ended the first inning by picking Young off at first, the Red Wings immediately got to work against Syracuse spot-starter Justin Hagenman. Left fielder Christian Franklin started off with a liner single to right, and then right fielder Nick Schnell followed it up with a single of his own, sending a grounder up the middle to put Franklin to third. Hagenman then walked Andres Chaparro to load the bases.
Yohandy Morales struck out, but the Red Wings bounced back with two straight ground ball singles up the middle, with Pinckney plating two before Lipscomb again loaded the bases. Catcher Francisco Mejia extended the Wings’ lead with a sharp line drive single to center that scored Chaparro, but kept the bases loaded, and up came Cluff. The Brigham Young alum worked a 2-2 count against the right-hander, fouling off two pitches.
“He does a good job mixing things up,” said Cluff post-game. “I was just trying to be ready in case he did try to sneak it past me.”
On the fifth pitch of the at-bat, Hagenman tried to get a sinker left a bit up by Cluff, who instead smacked it at 101.3 MPH over the right-center field wall for the grand slam to make it 7-0. It was the Coloradan’s tenth home run with the Wings this year, the second slam for the Wings this season, and the first slam for Cluff in quite a while.
“I think it’s been since college [that I hit a grand slam],” he said. “I don’t think I’ve had a grand slam in professional ball.”
The Wings added another run later in the inning when Nasim Nunez scored on a Schnell groundout to extend the lead to 8-0.
After that, Sampson took over with what he said can be a blessing and a curse: an 8-run cushion.
“It’s nice to have the run support right away, but it’s easy to lose focus when you pitch one inning and then you’re up eight to nothing already,” he said. “Everyone [could] relax a bit after the first, but you’ve got to stay focused on it.”
Although he’d allow an unearned run in the third due to a throwing error by Nunez, he’d ultimately go six innings, allowing two hits and striking out three while walking three. Sampson earned another insurance run in the fifth, when Franklin tripled in Nunez to make it 9-1.
The only other major threat that the Syracuse offense put up came against Red Wings relievers. After Sampson gave way to Erick Mejia, who worked a scoreless seventh, the Mets got to Joan Adon in the eighth, putting up three earned runs off two hits and a walk to cut the lead to 9-4. Mets catcher Hayden Senger threatened to cut the lead to 9-5 with a deep drive in the ninth, but Schnell made a leaping home run robbery- his second in two days- to end the game.
The end of the game may also mean the end of Chaparro’s time in Rochester. The first baseman was removed from play late in the game, and it was confirmed afterwards that the removal was for a roster move- he’ll be heading to the Nationals as a corresponding move to the demotion of infielder Jose Tena. Chaparro has hit .275 with 14 home runs in 48 games for Rochester this season, and has been especially hot in August, going .333/.406/.632 in the month. In other transaction news, the Nationals acquired right-handed reliever Julian Fernandez off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers organization on Sunday and assigned him to Rochester. Although Fernandez has made some brief appearances in the big leagues, this season he’s primarily pitched for the Dodgers’ AAA team in Oklahoma City, going 3-0 with a 3.05 ERA in 35 appearances and 41.1 innings pitched.
Regardless of who is on the team, the Red Wings continue their two-week home stand on Tuesday, when they begin a series with the Toledo Mud Hens. First pitch is set for 6:45 p.m.
I was pleased with this series against a very good team. Wings probably should have lost only 1…and that one last night was 1-0 until the bullpen meltdown in the 8th inning. Even so, Wings hitters were dead all game so they probably wouldn’t have come back. The series opener was one that got away but other than that they played decent ball to take the series 4-2 and inch to 5 under .500. If they could repeat that against Toledo, they would move to within 3 of .500 and that is probably the best outcome for the 2nd half.
Its possible. But then this team has teased us most the 2nd half. Too bad they played their worst game on the night our GM got inducted into the Wings HOF. A well deserved honor to a guy whose name translates into ‘class’.
Former Twins GM Bill Smith said that in a recent discussion with Terry Ryan, Ryan said the Twins best affiliation in all his years with them was with Rochester, and Dan Mason had a lot to do with that.
Its hard to argue with the stability Dan (and Naomi) have brought to the Wings over the years. Let’s add Josh Whetzel to that list…another class act. One of these days it would be nice if good people could be rewarded with a winning team in Rochester.
Tall order considering who are current parent team is. But we can dream.
It’s amazing that a former Rep from the Twins was here to honor Dan Mason. I wonder if anyone from the Washington Nationals organization was present as well
Not sure but I do know there was a ton of respect back and forth between Twins organization and the Red Wings. I do think they did their best and they arrived just as the Orioles had fallen apart after a nice 40 year run.
Maybe there was a token Nats rep present somewhere.