BY DAN GLICKMAN
The Rochester Red Wings will take the field for the first time this year at what is now ESL Ballpark with a winning record.
After winning the season opener on Friday, 6-3, the Red Wings split the weekend games – defeating the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimps 6-3 on Saturday before dropping a 4-3 contest on Sunday.
The Saturday victory – which moved the Red Wings to 2-0 to begin the season for the first time since 2017 – saw a good start from pitcher Mitchell Parker, who threw five innings while allowing three hits and an earned run to notch the win. Although the Wings trailed 1-0 heading into the fifth, RBI doubles from Zack Short and Abimelec Ortiz as well as an RBI single from Robert Hassell vaulted the Wings ahead, 4-1. An RBI from Dylan Crews in the seventh and a bases-loaded walk to Yohandy Morales in the ninth provided insurance to keep the Wings ahead despite a two-run rally from Jacksonville in the ninth.
Sunday was a close loss. Although the Red Wings fell behind, 3-0, in the early innings due to a bases-loaded walk in the second and a two-run home run from Nathan Martorella in the third, they got on the board in the top of the fifth with a Christian Franklin RBI single to cut the score to 3-1. A home run by Jacksonville’s Johnny Olmstead expanded the lead to 4-1, however, and rallies in the seventh and ninth by the Red Wings only got the score down to 4-3 before two strikeouts ended the game in a Wings defeat.
Despite the loss on Sunday, the 2-1 start for the Red Wings ensures the squad enters their first homestand with a winning record and tied for third in the extremely-early International League East standings, one game behind unbeaten Charlotte and Lehigh Valley.
Weather permitting, Rochester opens its home schedule on Tuesday against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, with first pitch set for 4:05 p.m.
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