By CRAIG POTTER
Pitcher Marcus Walden and IF Heiker Meneses stake the PawSox to the early lead.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A pair of Rochester Red Wings from last season turned the tables on their former teammates Friday night in propelling the Pawtucket Red Sox to a 7-2 victory before 3,460 chilled fans at Frontier Field.
A Red Wing a year ago, Marcus Walden pitched 6 innings of one-hit ball on this cold night, walking one and striking out four for Pawtucket.
PawSox shortstop Heiker Meneses, also a Wing last season, collected two hits and scored two runs, one each in the visitors’ 3-run third and fourth innings of Rochester starter Adalberto Mejia.
“Starting pitching really sets the tone,” said Red Wings manager Mike Quade. “Mejia was so good last outing and not near as sharp today…His overall body of work, three walks and eight hits (and 6 runs), is not what we’ve seen from him in the past. It was just too much for us to overcome.
“Marcus Walden did a good job for them. Got to give him credit.”
Niko Goodrum, who broke up Walden’s no-hit bid with a single in the fifth, laced a triple into the left field corner off reliever Chandler Shepherd in the eighth inning. He appeared to be shaken up after a hard slide but remained in the game.
Leonardo Reginatto followed with a RBI single, scoring Goodrum to break up the shutout bid. Reginatto eventually crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly from J.B. Shuck for Rochester’s final run in the frame.
“We had some good at bats,” Quade said. “We were a little sloppy defensively (2 errors). Be nice to get on the field and work on some of these things.
“The way we came out and played you wind up usually getting beat.”
Justin Haley pitched one inning as part of his rehab assignment from the Minnesota Twins, striking out two in the fifth. He said he is looking “just to be successful and help the team get some wins” while he is here. “Able to execute all my pitches, I think that’s going to be a real successful rehab. They all did tonight.”
When asked how it was pitching in 40+ temperatures, Haley said, “I’m used to it by now. I played in Pawtucket, I played in Portland, Maine. I’ve played in the cold, I’ve played in much colder than this.
“It actually wasn’t so bad. It was a little warmer out there.”
D.J. Baxendale worked three innings, allowing three hits and an unearned run in the eighth while striking out three.
Raul Fernandez hurled the ninth inning for Rochester, retiring all three hitters he faced.
*NOTES – On Friday the Minnesota Twins purchased the contract of Red Wings RHP Drew Rucinski, recalled INF/OF Ehire Adrianza from his rehab assignment here, and sent RHP Justin Haley to Rochester on a rehab assignment. OF Zack Granite was activated from the DL, and joined the Wings Friday…The Twins also designated INF/OF Danny Santana for assignment…The Red Wings are tied for second in the IL with 25 home runs…Matt Hague is tied for 10th in the league with 26 hits. He is the only player in league history to lead the IL in hits three times.
Links
Rochester Red Wings – redwingsbaseball.com
Videos
Justin Haley interview – https://youtu.be/uCm5yybI-dM
Mike Quade interview – https://youtu.be/QRYmMq9kyJ4