Tides Outlast Wings in Hit Barrage, 12-7

The Rochester Red Wings dropped the series finale against Norfolk, 12-7, Sunday afternoon at Frontier Field.

RHP Daniel Ponce de Leon struggled in his fourth start for Rochester this season, giving up five runs on nine hits through four innings. It was the most runs he’s given up in a Wings uniform this year.

Norfolk started off strong with a two-run first inning thanks to an RBI-single from DJ Stewart. Both teams remained scoreless until the third when Stewart logged his first of two homers to put the Tides up 3-0. Shayne Fontana then registered an RBI-single as Norfolk took a 4-0 lead. They would score yet again in the fourth on an RBI single from Jordan Westburg, but Rochester finally got on the board soon after with a two-run bomb from 3B Jake Alu.

RHP Jefry Rodriguez took over in the fifth but didn’t have much luck, allowing three hits and four runs through 0.1 innings. Stewart crushed another homer in the fifth to extend Norfolk’s lead to 6-2, and they weren’t done yet. Three-straight RBI-doubles put the Tides ahead 10-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth.

The Wings would tally one fifth inning run on a sac-fly from CF David Dahl that plated DH Taylor Gushue.

LHP Matt Cronin relieved Rodriguez and gave up a run on four hits before RHP Andres Machado made his first appearance in a Wings uniform since May 26. He surrendered a run as the Tides broke open an eight-run lead in the seventh.

Dahl scored 2B Adrian Sanchez on an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh to make it an 11-4 game, but Rochester didn’t stop there. RBI singles from C Riley Adams and RF Nick Banks added two runs for the Wings, and Norfolk’s Ryan Conroy walked SS Jecksson Flores with the bases loaded to give Rochester another run. Suddenly, it was an 11-7 game in the seventh, but the comeback fell short.

Gunnar Henderson launched a homer to right field in the ninth to put Norfolk up 12-7, sealing the loss for the Wings, as they were unable to score a run in the bottom of the frame.

The Red Wings will enjoy a day off on Monday as they prepare to head to Worcester for a six-game series against the Red Sox. First pitch for Tuesday’s contest is set for 6:45 p.m., with RHP Joan Adon toeing the rubber for Rochester.

Click HERE for box score

Joey Meneses Update: Joey Meneses *went 2-for-4, marking the 13th and 14th hits of his Major League career…He now holds the Nationals franchise (2005-pres.) record for the most hits by a player in his first 10 Major League games…In 10 games since his Major League debut on Aug. 2, he is 14-for-35 (.400) with five homers, seven RBI, three walks and eight runs scored…He has hit safely in nine of the 10 games with multi-hit efforts in each of his last five…His five-game multi-hit game streak is tied for the third-longest in Major League Baseball this season…It also ties *Bryce Harper’s record of the longest multi-hit game streak by a Nationals rookie in franchise history (2005-pres.).