BY DAN GLICKMAN
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Before Saturday’s game – a 3-1 victory against the Syracuse Mets – the Rochester Red Wings inducted two new members into the team’s Hall of Fame. Those players, it was noted before the induction, had played key roles in the last two Governors’ Cup championships won the by the team: Leo Gomez in 1990, and the late Danny Clyburn in 1997.
Whether this year’s Red Wings (18-14 in the second half) team will have a chance to add another pennant to that list will be determined in the next two months.
“We talked about [the playoff race] today,” said Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy. “That first half (when the Red Wings just missed a playoff spot) stung. We didn’t get it done, but we’re still in the second half. We’ve got a ways to go, and we can continue to play as solid as we can and compete and work on our craft.”
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The final two-month sprint ultimately began with Saturday’s contest.
Entering the game four back of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the second half after a day-game loss for the Durham Bulls, the Red Wings faced a AAA newcomer in Jonathan Santucci. The No. 2 prospect in the New York Mets system according to MLB.com Pipeline, the lefty immediately showed problems with control, walking three of the first four hitters he faced. However, he was able to escape without allowing a run thanks to a double-play groundout by Andrew Pinckney.
“I thought that might come back to haunt us, but it didn’t,” said LeCroy.
The Red Wings wouldn’t allow Santucci to escape unscathed in the second inning, however. Catcher Riley Adams led off the inning with a single, and while the next two men struck out, right fielder Leandro Pineda brought Adams in with a 103.6 MPH scorcher to center. Syracuse (13-18 in the second half, 51-55 overall) center fielder Christian Pache ran into the fence and fell down, allowing Pineda to run all the way to third with an RBI triple, his second at the AAA level.
The 1-0 lead soon turned to a 2-0 one, as Phillip Glasser walked before Christian Franklin lined sharply to right to bring in Glasser on an RBI double.
That score held until a solo home run by Syracuse’s Hayden Senger cut the Wings lead to 2-1 in the in the sixth with a solo shot off Jack Sinclair. The Red Wings soon gained the run back in the bottom half, as Pineda doubled and later came in to score on a Christian Franklin single to make it 3-1, a score that would hold until the end of the game.
Pineda ultimately finished the game 3-for-4 with two doubles and a triple. The 24-year-old had not seen much playing time recently in AA Harrisburg, but has made the most in Rochester since his recent callup, going 6-for-12 in his first four games for the Wings. Originally from the Phillies organization, the left-handed hitter says he’s glad to be able to show his skills.
“I was just waiting for an opportunity,” the Venezuelan said post-game through an interpreter. “I got it here, and things have been working out pretty good. Being patient is the key here for this, for baseball.”
On the mound, the story was not one pitcher, but eight, as a parade of bullpen arms came in: Jared Simpson went two innings as an opener, before giving way to rehabbing National Brad Lord, who struck out two in a perfect third. Alex Young, Jack Sinclair, Konnor Pilkington (who earned the win to move to 2-5 on the AAA season), Paxton Schultz, Zak Kent, and Gus Varland (who earned his first save on the season) followed, ultimately combining to allow three hits and an earned run while striking out nine and walking none.
“They did an awesome job, man,” said LeCroy. “We attacked the zone and put guys away, we didn’t have any walks, it was awesome. They really did a good job of putting up those zeroes.”
Looking at the playoff picture, the Red Wings entered Saturday’s game with a 62-42 record that is the best in the International League, but because of the split-season format and the Red Wings’ heart-breaking just-missed run at the first-half title, only the second-half record will determine if Rochester can reach the postseason. After Saturday’s results, Rochester sits four games back of Scranton for the best record in the half. A series in Scranton next week may prove pivotal in the race for a playoff spot. The Red Wings may be getting some help by the end of that series: infielder Yohandy Morales – arguably the team’s best position player all season – continues to work his way back from injury and could be able to return by the end of next week.
Before that, though, the Red Wings conclude their series with Syracuse on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. Rochester expects to send out left-hander Jackson Kent (7-3, 4.66) against the Mets’ right-hander, Tobias Myers (1-1, 5.28).
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