Plates Storm Back To Beat Iowa Thursday Night
Playing as their alternate identity for the final time this season, the Rochester Plates rallied late and scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to beat Iowa, 4-3. Offensively, SS Jackson Cluff homered for the second-straight game to get things going in the bottom of the first, and
Playing as their alternate identity for the final time this season, the Rochester Plates rallied late and scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to beat Iowa, 4-3. Offensively, SS Jackson Cluff homered for the second-straight game to get things going in the bottom of the first, and 1B Joey Meneses capped things off with a game-winning homer in the bottom of the eighth. RHP Thaddeus Ward turned in 5.0 strong innings in his final start of 2024 and picked up seven strikeouts along the way to keep the Plates within striking distance.
After a quiet top of the first, Jackson Cluff smashed a 2-0 cutter 395 feet to right field for a lead-off home run in the second. The solo shot, that broke Rochester into the scoring column, extends his career-high in home runs 10 across his five years in Minor League baseball. This is the second lead-off home run by a Rochester hitter this season, and the first since June 15 against Scranton/WB.
With one out in the third, SS Ed Howard and RF Owen Caissie worked back-to-back walks to put two runners on for Iowa. CF Kevin Alcántara fought off an inside sinker for a base hit through the left side of the infield and scored Howard to tie the game at one along the way. C Moises Ballesteros then recorded his second hit of the night with a soft-hit line drive to right field that loaded the bases. 3B Matt Shaw then blooped the third-straight hit of the inning and plated Caissie and Alcántara to put Iowa up 3-1 in the third.
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In the bottom of the eighth inning, 3B Brady House reached safely due to a throwing error on a grounder to second. DH Riley Adams pulled a double down the third base line to give Rochester two runners in scoring position. During the following at-bat, a wild pitch allowed House to cross and make it a 3-2 ballgame and a throwing error on the play gave Adams time to tie the game at three runs apiece. Joey Meneses then launched his ninth home run, a solo shot, to give Rochester the one-run advantage heading into Iowa’s final turn at-bat.
Rochester held the lead into the top of the ninth as Iowa looked to come back from their one-run deficit. Despite two infield singles that put the go-ahead run on first base, Rochester held on for the 4-3 comeback victory.
Right-hander Thaddeus Ward made his 28th start of the season on Thursday night and went 5.0 innings and allowed three earned runs. In the start, the Florida native compiled seven strikeouts, giving up four hits, and three walks, and also hit two batters. RHP Carlos Romero took over in the top of the sixth and turned in 1.2 scoreless innings with a hit and two walks, adding two strikeouts. RHP Orlando Ribalta entered in relief to close out the seventh inning for Rochester, contributing 1.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts and allowed a walk. RHP Jordan Weems ended the night for the Rochester pitching staff, who threw 1.0 scoreless to close it out with two hits in the appearance.
The Diamond Pro Player of the Game on Thursday evening goes to 1B Joey Meneses. The 32-year-old launched his ninth home run of the season in the bottom of the eighth to reclaim the lead for the Plates. In 13 games this month, Meneses has a batting average of .278 (15-for-54) with three home runs and nine RBI.
Rochester is back in action on Friday evening in the fourth matchup of the Iowa Cubs series with the first pitch set for 6:05 p.m. RHP Brad Lord is set to make his 12th start with the team this season and will face Iowa’s RHP Riley Thompson.
Find the box score attached here.
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