'Riders sweep Wings
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders swept the Red Wings in a Friday night doubleheader at Frontier Field, winning 6-4 and 10-2.
The series continues Saturday afternoon at 1:35 p.m., with a post-game autograph session with Red Wings position players. Complete promotions details below....
The first inning of Friday's first game featured great defense behind both starting pitchers. Red Wings starter Pat Dean got help from third baseman Stephen Wickens, who made a backhand snare of a would-be extra base hit by Aaron Judge; Slade Heathcott followed with a sinking line drive to left, and Darin Mastroianni ran in and made a diving catch to take away another hit.
RailRiders starter Kyle Haynes got an even bigger assist in the Wings' half of the first inning. Byron Buxton launched a high drive to left, and Riders left fielder Cesar Puello leaped above the wall to rob Buxton of a home run.
The Red Wings were the first to make a move in the bottom of the fourth. James Beresford walked with one out to put a runner on-base. Kennys Vargas took advantage of the situation, and hit his first homer of the season to propel Rochester to a 2-0 lead over the RailRiders going into the fifth inning.
After a solid performance through four innings, Dean struggled in the fifth. With one out, Cesar Puello hit a liner at Dean, forcing him to bobble the ball and enabling Puello to secure the single. He walked the next batter, giving Scranton a two-on, one out opportunity. Jonathan Diaz capitalized on the situation and with an RBI single. Dean settled down and struck out the next batter; however, with two outs and runners on first and second he gave up a double that allowed the RailRiders to tie the game. To wrap up the inning, Mastroianni made a crucial catch in left field foul-ball territory, leaving the game tied at 2 entering the second half of the inning.
Dean exited the game after the fifth inning with five hits, two runs, two walks and five strikeouts throwing 102 pitches, 60 for strikes.
In the bottom of the fifth the Red Wings answered by taking control during key opportunities. Juan Centeno walked to put a runner on base for Rochester. Mastroianni hit a grounder towards third but an error by third baseman Donovan Solano allowed Mastroianni to make it to first safely and Centeno advanced to third. During Stephen Wickens' at-bat Centeno was able to add another tally to the scoreboard for Rochester due to a pick-off error by first baseman Nick Swisher. Wickens walked giving Rochester runners on first and second with no outs. Buxton struck out, however during his at-bat the Red Wings were able to notch a double steal. Wilfredo Tovar hit a sacrifice fly to center field allowing Mastroianni to score the go-ahead run. Left-handed pitcher Tyler Olson took over the mound for Haynes after Tovar's at-bat. Despite walking Beresford, Olson struck out Vargas to end the fifth with the Red Wings leading 4-2.
Haynes finished out the game with one hit, four runs, two earned runs, five walks and three strikeouts throwing 91 pitches, 49 for strikes.
In the top of the sixth, Marcus Walden took to the mound for Rochester. Walden put away the first two batters efficiently; however, during the third at-bat he allowed a single which was followed by a fielding error from Wickens. With runners on first and third Pete Kozma hit an RBI single to secure another run for the RailRiders. Walden got himself out of the jam by assisting with an easy out at first base.
Max Kepler attempted to get something going for Rochester with a double in the sixth; however, the next three batters grounded out, stranding Kepler on second.
The Red Wings brought in closer J.R. Graham at the top of the seventh. The first two batters that he faced singled and ultimately advanced as the result of a wild pitch, giving the RailRiders runners at second and third with no outs. Slade Heathcott tripled for Scranton giving them a 5-4 advantage over Rochester. Gary Sanchez doubled during the next at-at allowing Heathcott to cross home plate, giving them a two-run lead. Graham secured the next three outs in order to move forward into one final scoring opportunity for Rochester.
Conor Mullee entered the game in the bottom of the seventh for the RailRiders, and he put the Red Wings away in a one, two, three inning to end the game with a final score of 6-4.
Game Two:
Wings lefty Taylor Rogers, an All-Star starting pitcher in 2015, made his first start of 2016 Friday in game two and struck out two while setting down the RailRiders in order. Scranton lefty Phil Coke matched Rogers with a two-strikeout inning in the bottom of the first.
The RailRiders loaded the bases with no outs against Rogers in the second inning, and a fielding error allowed a run to score. A throwing error brought in two more runs; the Wings' defense has made at least one error in 12 of their last 18 games. By the time the RailRiders had three outs, they had tallied a total of six runs (5 unearned) on four hits.
In the bottom of the third inning, Darin Mastroianni secured the first hit of the game for Rochester with one out. Heiker Meneses struck out, however Byron Buxton delivered with a two-out single. During Wilfredo Tovar's at-bat, Mastroianni safely stole third base in order to put himself in prime scoring position. Coke walked Tovar, loading up the bases for Rochester. Unfortunately, James Beresford grounded out to wrap up the inning, leaving the Red Wings scoreless going into the fourth inning.
The RailRiders struck again in the top of the fourth with a homer by Eddy Rodriguez prompting a pitching change by Rochester. Former first round pick Alex Wimmers took the mound, in his debut game at Frontier Field. After a hit by pitch, two walks and a single the RailRiders picked up their second run of the inning with one out and the bases loaded. The RailRiders picked up an additional run due to a sacrifice fly giving them a 9-0 advantage. Wimmers was able to strike out Chris Parmelee to end the inning.
Rogers exited the game after three innings with five hits, seven runs, two earned runs, one walk and three strikeouts, throwing 62 pitches - 43 for strikes.
Wimmers settled down and struck out a pair in the fifth inning. Coke pitched five innings and allowed just three hits, an unearned run, and struck out seven, The Wings scored in the fifth when Mastroianni's RBI double brought in Carlos Paulino.
Max Kepler's RBI triple off Diego Moreno in the sixth inning made the score 9-2.
Dan Runzler worked the sixth and seventh innings for the Red Wings, allowing a run on three hits.
| NOTES: The game one homer by Kennys Vargas was his first with the Wings since August 30 last season, against Pawtucket. Vargas hit a total of 18 home runs in 2015 with Rochester, Double-A Chattanooga, and the Twins...Byron Buxton had at least one hit in each of his previous 16 games with the Red Wings, before going 0-for-4 in the first game Friday...In 2015, Taylor Rogers won two of his three starts against the RailRiders while striking out 24 in 21.2 innings pitched.
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4/30 SWB 1:35 pm LHP Andrew Albers (0-0, 0.00) vs. LHP Richard Bleier (0-0, 2.25) WHTK 1280
5/1 SWB 1:35 pm RHP David Martinez (0-1, 4.00) vs. TBA WHTK 1280
5/2 @ SYR 6:35 pm LHP Jason Wheeler (0-0, 1.29) vs. RHP Paolo Espino (0-2, 4.41) WHTK 1280
5/3 @ SYR 6:35 pm LHP Logan Darnell (2-2, 3.04) vs. RHP A.J. Cole (2-1, 5.09) WHTK 1280
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Pics of the Day |
1994 - Anthony Telford made a successful return to Silver Stadium, pitching four innings of relief and picking up the win as the Richmond Braves topped Rochester 5-2. Telford, who was 31-23 in three seasons with the Wings, was honored in a ceremony before the game.
1989 - It's been a rough start for the International League's newest franchise in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The Red Barons enter play on April 29 with a mere 5-14 record so far in their first season inthe IL, having replaced the Maine Guides. Things go from bad to worse during this Saturday gameat Pawtucket, as the Red Sox pound the seemingly helpless Red Barons pitching staff all night long.When the dust clears, the Red Sox have scored a franchise record 26 runs! Shortstop Luis Riveradrives in 5 of the 13 runs he chased home all season in the 26-3 thrashing. Scranton/Wilkes-Barrewould finish its inaugural season with a 64-79 record, just 3.5 games better than the team with theLeague's worst mark…Pawtucket (62-84).
1933 - Willie Nelson, American country singer... 1954 - Jerry Seinfeld, comedian/actor... 1970- Uma Thurman, actress.
1986 - Roger Clemens set a major league record by striking out 20 as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Seattle Mariners 3-1.
1980- Blondie, "Call Me"... 1988 - Whitney Houston , "Where Do Broken Hearts Go "... 1992 - Kris Kross, "Jump"