Wings Comeback Bid Falls Short Losing 6-5

For the third time in the last three games, the Rochester Red Wings were defeated by the Columbus Clippers, losing Thursday afternoon’s game 6-3 at Huntington Park.

RHP Sterling Sharp got the ball for the Wings, giving up three hits and five runs through three innings of action. The Southfield native has given up 14 runs over his last three outings.

Columbus’ Gabriel Arias logged a first-inning homer to put the Clippers up by one, and they added to the lead in the fourth with four more runs. An RBI double, an RBI single, and a reach from 1B Trenton Brooks gave Columbus the five-run lead.

RHP Curtis Taylor and RHP Patrick Murphy saw the mound for two innings each, allowing two hits and a run collectively. Oscar Mercado hit Columbus’ second homer of the day off Murphy in the sixth, running the Clippers’ lead to 6-0.

The Wings scored their first few runs in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI double from 2B Jake Noll that plated LF Andrew Stevenson. They cut the lead to three runs when C Riley Adams logged an RBI single, scoring Noll and CF Cole Freeman. RHP Matt Brill held Columbus scoreless in the bottom of the eighth, and Rochester scored two runs in the ninth to come within one run, but ultimately fell short.

Rochester has failed to hit a homerun in five straight games, the longest such drought of the season. They’ve given up 10 long balls over the same stretch. In Thursday’s loss, Rochester outhit Columbus 13-6, but couldn’t pull off the late comeback.

RHP Jefry Rodriguez will get the start on Friday at 7:05 p.m. in game four of the series against Columbus. Rochester will have a chance to win its first game since July 15.