Plates serve up sweep over Herd

The Rochester Plates beat the Buffalo Bisons 6-1 Thursday evening at Frontier Field, sweeping the four-game series. 
The Red Wings host division champion Lehigh Valley Friday night at 7:05 p.m. in the start of the final homestand of the season; it's "Salute to The Sandlot" Night with actor Chauncey Leopardi - "Squints" - plus fireworks after the game.

Buffalo got out to a fast start against Rochester starter Ryan Eades after shortstop Nick Gordon committed a throwing error on the first play of the game. After a balk allowing for Jonathan Davis to reach second base, Eades surrendered an RBI double to Anthony Alford to put the visitors ahead 1-0.
Byron Buxton helped the Plates take the lead after beating out an infield single to begin the inning. After moving to second on a groundout from Gordon, Gregorio Petit drove in Buxton on an RBI single against Bisons starter Mike Hauschild to tie the game at 1-1. Following a walk from Kennys Vargas, LaMonte Wade broke the tie on a single of his own to bring home Petit and give the Plates a 2-1 lead.
As Eades settled in, an unearned run allowed for Rochester to give him some insurance in the third. After Gordon led off the inning with a single and took second on a stolen base, a fielders choice and a passed ball allowed the Plates to extend their lead to 3-1.
Luke Bard replaced Eades after he began the fourth inning with a strikeout. Eades went 3.1 allowing one run (unearned) on one hit while walking one and striking out four. He threw 60 pitches, 36 for strikes.
Rochester plated three more runs in the fourth after Zander Wiel, who walked to lead off the inning, scored from first on an RBI double from Jon Kemmer to give Rochester a 4-1 lead. The Plates' fifth run of the game came on a wild pitch that allowed Alex Perez to score. . After Buxton singled with two out, a balk allowed him to reach second before Gordon's second single of the game brought him home to put the Plates on top 6-1.
Bard looked sharp over over 2.2 innings as he allowed just two hits while striking out five. Andrew Vasquez came on in relief to begin the seventh for the Plates.
After pitching the sixth, Craig Breslow came on for Hauschild. He allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits while walking four and striking out one. Hauschild threw 106 pitches, 64 for strikes.
Buffalo's last threat of the game came in the eighth inning after Vasquez allowed a pair of runners into scoring position with two outs. Tyler Duffey ended the threat as he got Michael De La Cruz to strike out to end the inning. Vasquez went 1.2 scoreless innings allowing two hits along with four strikeouts.
Duffey worked 1.1 innings to close out the game. Plates pitchers tallied 15 strikeouts on the night. 
Winning pitcher: Bard (3-3) 
Losing pitcher: Hauschild (1-1)
Save: Duffey (3) 
Box Score: Click here for the box score and play-by-play narrative.

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THIS DAY IN RED WINGS HISTORY
1986 - Rochester clinched second place in the International League and home field advantage for the first round of the Governor's cup playoffs as they beat Syracuse 8-5 at Silver Stadium. During the game, rookie outfielder Ken Gerhart hit his IL leading 28th home run.
THIS DAY IN INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE HISTORY
1911 - A fascinating event occurs in Buffalo during pre-game batting practice. Bisons' outfielder/pitcher Art McCabe takes a vicious swing and to everyone's amazement, he tears the cover off the baseball. While the cover flutters down into the infield, the remainder of the ball soars to the outfield. 72 years later, art would imitate real life when the motion picture "The Natural", starring Robert Redford, was filmed at Buffalo's War Memorial Stadium. In the film, Redford's character Roy Hobbs (a talented outfielder/pitcher) rips the cover off the ball while blasting a line drive into the outfield.;