Chiefs blast four homers, rout Red Wings

The Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, scored 10 runs between the second and third innings en route to a 11-4 win at the Rochester Red Wings on Thursday evening. In the first game after the All-Star break, Syracuse blasted four home runs and extended its win streak to four games.

Syracuse (42-55) ignited the scoring with six second-inning runs - all charged to Red Wings left-hander Logan Darnell. After a leadoff single from Chris Marrero, right fielder Chris Rahl swatted a 1-0 pitch over the bullpen in left field for a two-run home run - Rahl's seventh long ball of the season. After a Kelly Shoppach single, Josh Johnson pop out on a bunt attempt and Eury Perez single, second baseman Will Rhymes stepped to the plate with a pair of runners aboard. The left-handed batter lined a triple into the right-field corner, scoring Shoppach and Perez for a 4-0 Syracuse lead. Shortstop Danny Espinosa followed with an RBI single to center field, and three batters later, right-hander Luis Perdomo replaced Darnell with the bases loaded and two outs. Perdomo would immediately walk Rahl with the bases loaded, giving the Chiefs a 6-0 lead on Rahl's third RBI of the inning.

The Chiefs kept their foot on the gas pedal with four runs in the third inning. After Johnson was hit by a pitch to start the frame, Perez blasted a first-pitch fastball from Perdomo over the left-field fence, giving Syracuse an eight-run advantage. The left fielder's now clubbed a career-high six home runs in 2013. Later in the inning, Tyler Moore walked with two outs to bring up Corey Brown, who smashed a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right-center field for the Chiefs' second two-run home run of the inning and a 10-0 lead.

After a third-inning RBI groundout from Drew Butera, Rochester (51-49) plated three runs in the fourth against Tanner Roark. With one out, Chris Parmelee and Jeff Clement singled, giving way to Deibinson Romero. The Red Wings' third baseman hit Roark's first pitch over the left-field wall for a three-run home run, cutting the lead to 10-4.

The Chiefs, however, would score the only run of the game from that point on. In the eighth inning, Brown led off with a solo home run against Red Wings left-hander Blake Martin - the Syracuse center fielder's second long ball of the game. Brown's now collected three multi-homers in 2013 - three more than he had all of last season, despite a 25-homer 2012 campaign.

Syracuse and Rochester will resume their four-game, two-city series tomorrow with a 7:15 game at Rochester. Chiefs right-hander Caleb Clay and Red Wings right-hander P.J. Walters are the scheduled starters.