Morales and Ortiz help Wings break losing streak, 7-5 over WooSox

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Rochester Red Wings offense has, so far this season, been powered by several players. Outfielder Dylan Crews has done well at ESL Ballpark, while first baseman Andres Chaparro and outfielder Andrew Pinckney have also been vital contributors. But perhaps the two biggest sparks for the Wings offense have been third baseman Yohandy Morales and first baseman/designated hitter Abimelec Ortiz – who led the way on Saturday as the Red Wings broke a three-game losing streak with a 7-5 win over the Worcester Red Sox.

Both hit key home runs against the Red Sox on Saturday, with Morales helping get Rochester an early 4-0 lead in the third with a three-run shot, and then Ortiz vaulting the Red Wings back ahead in the sixth, 6-5, with a two-run homer.

Abimelec Ortiz goes YARD with a 2-run homer ? ? pic.twitter.com/8jcFxbbRb0

— Rochester Red Wings (@RocRedWings) May 2, 2026

The win moves the Red Wings to 15-17 on the season, and gives them a chance at splitting the six-game series with Boston’s AAA affiliate on Sunday.

Morales – often just called “Yoyo” – has been one of the hottest hitters for the Rochester Red Wings this season. He entered Saturday’s game against the Worcester Red Sox slashing (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging) .323/.405/.479 with four HR and 13 RBI, leading or among the leaders on the squad in all of those categories.

“I’m just doing whatever I can to get on base,” he said post-game.

In the third inning, he did far more than that. After the Red Wings took an initial 1-0 lead on a single by Crews against Worcester’s Michael Sansone, Morales got a cutter in on the first pitch he faced with two men on and one out. It shot out to center at 108.5 MPH, landing 422 feet away from home plate for his fifth home run of the season – briefly giving him sole possession of the team lead.

“There’d been a first-pitch cutter in my first at-bat that I missed, and I was just trying to see if there was anything up, to get the ball in the air and bring the runner in from third,” he said. “He left the pitch in the same spot as the last time… and I didn’t miss the second time.”

“He’s providing what you need in that three or four hole, he hit a big homer and continues to have good at-bats,” says Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy. “He’s healthy, he’s made some really nice adjustments in the box, and it’s starting to carry over to the games.”

Today’s ESL Play of the Game goes to YoYo Morales with a beautiful 3-run homer ? ?

Presented by: @ESLFCU pic.twitter.com/sss0H6NtGu

— Rochester Red Wings (@RocRedWings) May 2, 2026

Later, it was Ortiz’s turn. After the WooSox took a 5-4 lead in the top of the sixth, Morales led off against Sansone with a walk. After Chaparro popped out, Ortiz got hold of a hanging slider and smashed it over the right field fence at 109.1 MPH for a 411 foot home run to give the Wings the 6-5 lead.

VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM JOE TERRITO.

It also provided a psychological relief for the team.

“When we lost the lead, you know, you can sense people going ‘here we go again,’” said LeCroy. “But the guys bounced back, and they pushed two across there to go up one.”

An eighth inning home run from Chaparro gave the Red Wings some insurance and brought about the 7-5 final score. The homer, Chaparro’s fifth of the season, tied him with Morales for the team lead.

The heroics at the plate built upon a good day on the mound for Red Wings pitchers, beginning with the day’s starter, Andrew Alvarez. The lefty went 5.2 innings pitched and threw 99 pitches, and despite some struggles with the long-ball (giving up home runs to Allan Castro and Nathan Hickey) held the Red Sox to three earned runs, although two unearned runs scored in the top of the sixth when second baseman Phillip Glasser couldn’t handle a hard grounder to second and was credited with an error. The Californian struck out eight and allowed eight hits on the day before getting taken out with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.

“It was a tough ball,” said LeCroy of the Glasser error. “I know Glasser would tell you he should have made that play.”

He was then replaced by a series of relievers, starting with Trevor Gott, who went 1.1 scoreless innings and earned the relief win after he escaped a bases-loaded jam in the sixth and retiring the Red Sox in order in the seventh. Shawn Dubin, a new arrival to the Nationals organization signed on May 1 with significant regional ties (he is from Olean, is living with his brother in Pittsford, and played for the University at Buffalo before it ended its varsity baseball program), came in next and pitched a scoreless eighth, aided by a 6-4 double play where Hickey lined out to Trey Lipscomb at short, who then tossed the ball to Glasser at second to get the force-out. Eddy Yean then came in for the ninth and retired the Red Sox in order to lock down the win and earn his fourth save of the season.

“[Alvarez] did a nice job, Gott was really good, and Dubin – making his debut here – had a good mix for his first time out in about three weeks,” said LeCroy. “And then, Eddy came back with a bounce-back effort after last night.

I’m really, really proud of all of them. The win was something we needed.”

Rochester and Worcester conclude their series on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. Rochester expects to send out right-hander Chandler Champlain (1-0, 3.60)