BY DAN GLICKMAN
The Rochester Red Wings opened their June schedule by doing what they did for much of May: win, as Seaver King‘s 10th inning home run propelled the Wings to an 8-7 win on Tuesday against the homestanding Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
With losses by both the Nashville Sounds and Memphis RedBirds, the Wings have moved to a half-game ahead of both, returning to first place and a playoff position in the race of the International League’s first-half championship.
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The Wings, who trailed 6-2 after seven innings, used a three-run eighth and then a run-scoring bases-loaded groundout by Yohandy Morales to tie it up in the ninth. Faced with two outs in the 10th but a man at first after Andrew Pinckney lined into a double-play at second, King caught a hanging slider from Kirby Snead on the first pitch he saw in the at-bat, clubbing it at 106.3 MPH over the left-field fence to put the Wings ahead, 8-6. The IronPigs scored one run in the bottom of the 10th inning on a Bryan De La Cruz single, but Eddy Yean was able to get Dylan Moore to ground into a double play to end the game.
Morales went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in the first to give the Red Wings an early 2-0 lead, part of a three-RBI night for the Miami-born 24-year-old. Brady House also had two hits, and drove in a run in the eighth on a single. Abimelec Ortiz brought in House later that inning on a ground-out, and himself would be one of the runs scored on King’s game-winning homer.
On the mound, a succession of seven pitchers combined to get the Wings through the game, with Zak Kent earning the win with 1.1 innings of of relief and two strikeouts before Yean allowed an unearned run for the save.
The Red Wings continue their series with Lehigh Valley on Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. Righty Chandler Champlain is scheduled to take the mound for Rochester against lefty Tucker Davidson.
Great coverage! We’re having a pretty darn good season & it’s nice to be able to read about it when we can’t follow the team on the road!
another late comeback. We have a potent lineup, a great defense…but lack that pitching that could prevent us from winning the 1st half pennant. Syracuse hit our pitching staff hard and often. that we won 4 of the games was completely due to our incredible hitters.
Last night our pitching was poor again…although thankfully they came thru in the 8th, 9th and 10th (when it mattered the most) But its cautionary that we can’t keep allowing 6,7,8, or more runs every night.
Having said that, top to bottom, Wings have not had an explosive lineup like this in a long time. I hope the Gnats leave us alone for the next 17 games to give us a shot…then they can do whatever they want. The Sabres never cared about us winning so it would be a nice change if Washington actually felt that providing a winning atmosphere in AAA was a positive step. Since they have maybe 10 fans here in Rochester, everyone should be on board with this!