Wings Fall to Bulls, 9-3
The Rochester Red Wings fell to the Durham Bulls, 9-3, Wednesday, tying the series at one game apiece. CF Derek Hill collected his third triple in the last two games, while LF Travis Blankenhorn drove in two runs to bring his team-leading RBI count to 54. Four Wings relievers worked
The Rochester Red Wings fell to the Durham Bulls, 9-3, Wednesday, tying the series at one game apiece. CF Derek Hill collected his third triple in the last two games, while LF Travis Blankenhorn drove in two runs to bring his team-leading RBI count to 54. Four Wings relievers worked the final six frames after RHP Jackson Rutledge became the third-straight Rochester starter to work three innings or fewer.
The Red Wings hopped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning to begin scoring Wednesday night. After a double and a single, LF Travis Blankenhorn roped a two-RBI double to right field to give Rochester the early advantage. Durham tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the third inning on a two-run home run from RF Vidal Bruján. Following CF Derek Hill’s leadoff triple, his third in the last two games, 1B Matt Adams drove him in with an RBI single to give the Wings the lead.
The score remained at 3-2 until a two-run triple from SS Osleivis Basabe gave the Bulls a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh inning. Durham managed another run when DH Triston Gray plated 1B Austin Shenton with an RBI single, extending the Bulls’ lead to 5-3. The Wings managed six base runners after the third inning, loading the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but were unable to cross any runners.
Durham further extended its lead in the top of the eighth inning, tacking on two runs on an RBI single from 2B Jonathan Aranda. An ensuing triple from 3B Curtis Mead, the Bulls’ second three-bagger of the night, drove in Aranda and gave Durham an 8-3 lead. Shenton capped off the four-run inning with an RBI groundout that drove in Mead to hand the Bulls a 9-3 advantage. The Wings saw 11 of their final 13 batters set down, dropping game two of their series against the Bulls.
RHP Jackson Rutledge started on the mound for Rochester Wednesday night, working three innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out three and walking two. RHP Luis Reyes entered first in relief and worked 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing two hits while striking out four batters. LHP Tim Cate followed with an inning of one-run work, and was followed by RHP Joel Peguero (0-1, 15.26), who allowed five runs while striking out a batter, taking the loss. RHP Andres Machado pitched the final two innings, giving up one run on one hit while striking out two.
LF Travis Blankenhorn earned the Diamond Pro Player of the game honors Wednesday night after he went 1-for-5 with a double and two RBI. Blankenhorn, extended his team-leading on-base streak to 13 games while driving in his 53rd and 54th runners on the season, which are the second-most RBI among all players in the Washington Nationals organization.
Rochester returns to the field tomorrow morning for the third game of their six-game set with the Bulls. RHP José Ureña is set to start for the Wings, with RHP Evan McKendry on the bump for Durham. First pitch is set for 11:05 a.m.
Find the box score attached here.