BY DAN GLICKMAN
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Rochester Red Wings’ 5-3 win over the Buffalo Bisons (28-26 in the second half, 63-66 overall) on Friday night started off as an unusual pitching matchup between a 22-year-old making his first AAA start and a 34-year-old veteran on a rehab assignment, but it ended with Rochester (34-21 in the second half, 79-49 overall) tied for first in the International League’s second half playoff race with the Indianapolis Indians, who fell to Columbus.
In Buffalo’s corner was the rehabbing Jameson Taillon, a former second overall pick who has had a good and sometimes great career since his MLB debut in 2016, albeit one at times plagued by health issues. For Rochester was Isaac Lyon. The son of longtime big league reliever Brandon Lyon, he was making his AAA debut just over a year after he was drafted by the Seattle Mariners out of Grand Canyon University, and less than a year since he was traded to the Washington Nationals alongside Harry Ford.
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While both starters did well through three innings, both also got chased from the game in the fourth. And once the offenses got into action, it would be Rochester’s that proved superior, as doubles by Cayden Wallace and Liover Peguero propelled the Red Wings to a 4-2 lead that Rochester would never relinquish.
Philip Glasser, a day after hitting a walkoff single, started the bottom of the fourth by drawing a walk off Taillon, becoming just the second baserunner of the night against the right-hander. Yohandy Morales followed by singling through the left side to get two men on. Although Trey Lipscomb then flew out, Wallace then opened scoring for the Red Wings by knocking a ball to left-center field. Buffalo left fielder Sean Keys ran in to try and catch it, but missed the play and allowed the ball to land and get by him. Glasser scored, and Wallace found himself at second. A walk to Leandro Pineda then ended Taillon’s day and brought up Peguero to face Sam Gardner.
Peguero jumped immediately on the first ball that Gardner threw, smoking a high slider to left-center field at 104.9 MPH, clearing the bases and putting the Wings ahead.
“I was just trying to be aggressive at the plate, look for a good pitch to hit,” said Peguero post-game. He ultimately went 2-for-3 with a walk and three RBI on the night.
Although the Bisons would scratch back one run on a two-out triple against Chandler Champlain in the fifth, the Red Wings would get that run right back in the bottom of that inning when Wallace brought home Glasser on a groundout to extend the lead to the final 5-3 score. The Bisons would threaten again in the seventh when Ismael Munguia walked, but Peguero proved his defensive worth on the next play at first base when Josh Smith smashed a liner towards left. Peguero leapt and caught it for the first out, and then beat Munguia back to the bag for an unassisted double-play to end the inning and snuffing out a Buffalo rally before it could truly begin.
“That was a game-saver for us, that play he made at first,” said Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy.
Wallace and Peguero’s RBI were ultimately necessary due to a two-run fourth earlier in the game for Buffalo. Lyon had pitched well the first three innings of the game, holding Buffalo hitless with only two walks as a blemish, but some bad luck and more familiarity during the second go-through of the order led to an end of his day. Yohendrick Pinango singled with one out, and while Lyon was able to get Davis Schneider to line out, Jay Harry followed with a line drive to left that was misplayed by Rochester left-fielder Johnathan Thomas, allowing Pinango to score. Chandler Champlain was brought in as a “bulk pitcher” to relieve Lyon, but Lenyn Sosa singled on a 2-0 pitch to make it 2-0 for Buffalo.
Regardless, in hindsight both LeCroy and Lyon were happy with the pitching performance on the day, which culminated in a save by Yovanny Cruz.
“I thought it was good,” said Lyon, who ultimately finished the night with two hits allowed, two earned runs, two walks, and two strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched. “I wish could have attacked [the counts] a bit more early, but, you know, the first game, you [need to] get the jitters out of the way.”
“[Lyon] did a nice job in his AAA debut, and then Champlain really picked us up, giving us four-plus. Cruz was probably the best he’s been since he’s been here. Really good effort by them,” said LeCroy. “He’s got a lot of good things, man, I’m proud of him and the [other] guys that have come up. They look really good, and hopefully they can help us down the stretch there.”
The two teams resume their series on Saturday at 6:45 p.m. Rochester will start the game with left-hander Jared Simpson (0-0, 1.02) on the mound, while Buffalo expects to send out righty CJ Van Eyk (6-3, 3.79). A win would ensure a series victory for the Red Wings.
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