Red Wings Win 12-10 Slugfest in Worcester

The Rochester Red Wings won game two of their series against the Worcester Red Sox at Polar Park, 12-10, Wednesday afternoon. The victory improved the team’s record to 28-29 on the year.
The Wings have now scored 10+ runs in back-to-back games for the first time since 2021 (6/5-6), which also came against the WooSox.

The WooSox worked the bases loaded in the bottom of the first against Rochester starter LHP Anthony Banda, scoring their first run on a passed ball to make it 1-0. RF Ryan Fitzgerald drove in two more runs with a double into right-center, and C Ronaldo Hernandez picked up a RBI groundout, to make it 4-0 after the first frame.

Rochester’s offense cut into the Worcester lead in the top of the second when C Luis Torrens swung at the first pitch he saw, hitting a two-run home run (11) to make it 4-2 WooSox after two innings.

The Red Wings offense continued to click in the third, racking up four more unanswered runs. CF *Derek Hill *got the inning started with a double to move LF *Cody Wilson *to third base. 3B *Jake Alu *and DH *Carter Kieboom *recorded RBI in back-to-back at bats to tie the game, 4-4. 1B *Travis Blankenhorn *picked up an RBI, and Mazara scored on an error, to make it 6-4 Wings.

With his third-inning double, Hill extended his hitting streak to an International League-long 19 games (.397, 31 for 78, since 5/14). He finished 3-for-5 with a double and a RBI. Rochester added two more runs in the fourth. Hill hit a RBI single, and Alu picked up a RBI groundout, to make it 8-4 Wings. This is now the longest hitting streak since 2010 when Danny Valencia hit safely in 20 consecutive games.

The WooSox answered in the bottom of the fourth when a two-run shot by Hernandez, and a sacrifice fly by SS Yu Chang, cut the Rochester lead to 8-7.

The Wings responded in the fifth when Blankenhorn walked to extend his on-base streak to 23 games (.266, 25-for-94, since 5/4). His streak ranks second in the IL. Later in the inning, Torrens continued his productive day at the plate with a RBI double into left field, scoring Blankenhorn and making it 9-7 Rochester.

The game’s next run came in the bottom of the sixth. WooSox RF Narciso Crook and 2B Nick Sogard each recorded one RBI to tie the game at 9-9 after six.

The scoring kept going in the top of the seventh as Torrens hammered another home run, this time a go-ahead three-run shot (12) to make it 12-9 Rochester after seven.

The scoring stalled until the bottom of the ninth. Fitzgerald led off the final inning with a triple, eventually coming home on a sacrifice fly from 1B Niko Goodrum, cutting it to 12-10 Rochester. That was all the offense the WooSox could muster, as they fell 12-10.

LHP Anthony Banda *got the spot start for Rochester, his second of the season. The lefty worked three innings, allowing four runs (two earned) and four hits, while striking out three. RHP *Luis Reyes *pitched 2.1 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits and one walk. RHP *Tommy Romero,LHP Alberto Baldonado and RHP *Tyler Danish *combined to pitch the final 3.2 innings, allowing one earned run. Romero (2-3, 5.57) earned the win for Rochester, while Danish picked up his fourth save of the year.

C Luis Torrens earned Diamond Pro Player of the Game honors. He finished 3-for-5 with two home runs, a double and six RBI. Two home runs tied Torrens’ career-high (most recently on 6/25/21 with SEA), and his six RBI set a new high for the 27-year old backstop.

Rochester returns to action tomorrow as they send RHP *WILY PERALTA *(1-4, 5.83) to the mound to take Worcester’s LHP Rio Gomez (0-0, 2.08). First pitch set for 6:45 pm.

Find the box score attached here.