BY DAN GLICKMAN
The Rochester Red Wings made it two straight against the first-half International League champion Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on Wednesday, taking a 6-5 lead in the top of the ninth on a two-run Christian Franklin single and then holding the lead in the bottom half.
The two-out, bases-loaded grounder up the middle from the right fielder capped a back-and-forth night between the Wings and the Marlins AAA affiliate. Rochester had earlier taken a 2-0 lead with runs in the first and second, only to see Jacksonville tie it up in the bottom of the second. The Shrimp then took the lead on a Matthew Etzel homer in the third, 3-2.
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Rochester would give chase to Jacksonville for much of the rest of the game, but each time they’d score- in the fifth and eighth- Jacksonville would claw back to the lead again. It was only in the ninth that Rochester got ahead for good, loading the bases before Franklin’s game-winner.
Eduardo Salazar had some trouble in the ninth, allowing the tying run to reach second on a double, but was able to strike out Jack Winkler to end the game and earn the save, his fourth of the season.
Rochester was led offensively by Franklin (2-for-5, three RBI), left fielder Darren Baker (2-for-3, two runs scored, stolen base), and first baseman Yohandy Morales (2-for-4, double, two RBI). Catcher Francisco Mejia homered, his fourth with the Wings. Julian Fernandez earned his first Red Wings win in relief to move to 1-1 on the season.
The Wings return to action on Thursday in Jacksonville at 7:05 p.m.
Thank you so much for your outstanding coverage of the Red Wings all season. Their record doesn’t reflect their effort, but you guys kept us informed and highlighted the future Major Leaguers we have here in Rochester!