BY DAN GLICKMAN
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The feelings in ESL Ballpark had not been good entering Friday’s game for the Rochester Red Wings against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The team was on a three-game losing streak – its longest in months. One of the squad’s best prospects – Seaver King – had recently gone on the injured list. And, of course, the weather had been miserable, with a storm on Wednesday forcing a suspension and another weather system on Friday delaying the game for an hour while hot and humid temperatures hovered at seemingly every other time.
And yet, in baseball, the vibes can shift rapidly. For the Red Wings, perhaps that came in the fifth inning of the 11-5 win over Lehigh Valley, when they sent 11 batters to the plate as part of a six-run inning that propelled them to a 7-1 lead they’d never relinquish.
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The win moves the Red Wings back to .500 (5-5) in the second half of the International League season and 50-33 overall.
“We responded after three uncharacteristic games,” said Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy. “We bounced back again.”
Tied 1-1, the bottom of the fifth started quietly as Joey Wiemer grounded out to second. Robert Hassell III then singled up the middle, but a Phillip Glasser fly-out to left seemed to indicate the would-be rally would die.
That didn’t happen: Hassell moved to second on disengagement violation during Glasser’s at-bat, and then got home when Christian Franklin singled to center off Kolby Allard to make it 2-1. The Red Wings didn’t stop there: Yohandy Morales singled in the infield, then Brady House doubled sharply up the middle to bring in both Franklin and Morales. House then moved to third on a wild pitch while Harry Ford walked, allowing Andrew Pinckney to bring in House when he got to first on a bad defensive play by Allard and first baseman Felix Reyes.
Allard was removed after that, replaced by Mitch Neunborn, but the Red Wings still didn’t quit, as Trey Lipscomb walked to load the bases before Wiemer put an exclamation point on the inning with a single through the left side that brought in both Pinckney and Lipscomb to make it 7-1.
Although the IronPigs scraped back three runs in the sixth on a three-run shot by Robert Moore to cut the Rochester lead to 7-4, the Wings outscored Lehigh Valley the rest of the way, 4-1. A two-run home run by Wiemer in the seventh off rehabbing Philadelphia Phillies set-up man Brad Kellar provided the last insurance for the Wings.
Wiemer, who controversially was sent down by Washington on May 19 despite hitting .286, likely had his best game as a Red Wing on Friday, going 3-for-4 with five RBI and a run scored. In addition to the home run and two-run single during the big fifth inning, he’d also opened scoring with an RBI single in the second. The Ohio native also impressed defensively, robbing a possible home run from longtime big-leaguer Tommy Pham in the fifth.
Joey Wiemer with an ELITE effort to rob this home run ?? pic.twitter.com/nUwMFjzKMe
— Rochester Red Wings (@RocRedWings) July 4, 2026
Although Wiemer was unavailable for comment post-game, LeCroy noted the importance of how he homered against Keller, an MLB regular.
“You tend to step it up a a little bit when you know guys are here on rehab, and he’s a big league pitcher with experience,” said LeCroy. “I think they look at it as a challenge – if they can hit this guy, it makes them feel like they can hit big leagues.”
On the mound, Jackson Kent earned the win to move to 3-4 in AAA this season, allowing five hits and an earned run while striking out four.
It was at times a gutsy performance, including a bases-loaded jam with one out in the fourth where Kent struck out Rene Pinto and forced a flyout by Robert Moore to escape.
“He had to battle the whole game, all five innings,” said LeCroy. “He kept guys stranded at third, and had a good mix… I’m really proud of how he had fought to give us a chance.”
Once Kent left the game after five, a string of five pitchers took over. The longest appearance came by Eddy Yean, who went 1.1 innings of perfect baseball, striking out two.
The win ensures the Red Wings still have a chance at splitting the six-game series. To do so, they’ll need to win both remaining games, starting with the Saturday contest – the annual Fourth of July game. Right-hander Luis Perales (2-4, 4.27) is expected to pitch for Rochester against Charlotte’s righty, Andrew Painter (0-0, 2.25). First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m.
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