Red Wings Offense Overpowers Worcester in 11-6 Win
The Rochester Red Wings opened their series against the Worcester Red Sox with a 11-6 win at Polar Park, improving to 27-29 on the year. The Red Wings have now won three straight series openers. Eight different Wings recorded RBI in the win, as the team totaled 16 hits. 1B
The Rochester Red Wings opened their series against the Worcester Red Sox with a 11-6 win at Polar Park, improving to 27-29 on the year. The Red Wings have now won three straight series openers. Eight different Wings recorded RBI in the win, as the team totaled 16 hits. 1B Matt Adams led Rochester’s offensive explosion with four RBI.
The Red Wings jumped ahead on the first pitch of the game when CF Derek Hill hammered a home run (6) off Worcester LHP Brandon Walter. Hill’s second leadoff home run in as many games made it 1-0 Wings and extended his International League-long hitting streak to 18 games (.384, 28-for-73 since 5/14). Hill finished 3-for-6 with a home run, a triple and an RBI in the victory, just a double shy of the cycle.
In his next at bat, Hill led off the third inning with a stand-up triple. Hill scored on 2B Jake Alu’s groundout, giving Rochester a 2-0 lead after three. The Rochester offense tacked on another run in the fourth inning when C Drew Millas hit a sacrifice fly to score DH Franmil Reyes and make it 3-0 Wings.
Rochester continued its attack in the fifth inning. After both Hill and Alu reached base, RF Nomar Mazara drove in Hill on a sacrifice fly to extend the Red Wings’ lead to 4-0.
Worcester was held to one hit until the bottom of the fifth inning. In the fifth, the Woo Sox loaded the bases, bringing the tying run to the plate. Their first run came via a bases-loaded walk, ending RHP Joan Adon’s shutout after 4.2 innings and making it 4-1 Rochester. In the next at bat, Adon threw a wild pitch, scoring another Worcester runner and making it 4-2 after five innings.
Worcester continued the comeback effort, tying the game 4-4 when former Red Wing 1B Niko Goodrum hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the sixth to even the score. Later in the frame, a two-out RBI triple by LF Bradley Zimmer made it 5-4 Red Sox after six.
The Red Wings mounted a rally of their own in the top of the seventh. Alu and 3B Carter Kieboom both singled to begin the inning. Three batters later, 1B Matt Adams hit a 379-foot three-run shot (9) over the “Worcester Wall” to retake the lead for Rochester, 7-5.
Worcester refused to go away late. In the eighth inning, a solo home run from RF Narciso Crook cut the Wings’ lead to one run, 7-6. But in the top of the ninth, Kieboom, Adams, LF Cody Wilson and SS Richie Martin all picked up one RBI each to give the Red Wings all the insurance they would need, 11-6.
RHP Joan Adon worked 5.0 innings for Rochester, allowing two earned runs on two hits while striking out six. RHP Jose Mujica worked 0.2 IP, allowing three earned runs on three hits and two walks. RHP Hobie Harris, LHP Jose Ferrer, RHP Tyler Danish and RHP Gerson Moreno combined to pitch the final 3.1 innings, allowing only one earned run. Harris (1-1, 6.00) earned the win for Rochester.
1B Matt Adams earned Diamond Pro Player of the Game honors with his game-winning home run and four-RBI performance. He went 1-for-4 with a home run and 4 RBI in the game.
Rochester returns to action tomorrow in the second game of the series. RHP Cory Abbott (2-4, 5.71) is slated to start for the Red Wings, while LHP Chris Murphy (1-3, 7.71) goes for Worcester. First pitch set for 12:15 pm.
Find the box score attached here.