By CRAIG POTTER
Rochester drops a 2-1 contest to Indianapolis.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Red Wings offense continues to struggle in putting runs on the scoreboard.
However, Chili native and Aquinas graduate Chris Bostick scored the game-winning run as the Indianapolis Indians held off the Wings, 2-1, on Sunday afternoon before 4,856 fans at Frontier Field.
Bostick had the game-winning hit for the Tribe in Friday’s series opener, which Indy won, 11-6. This is Bostick’s first trip of the season to his hometown, and he has made his presence felt.
Bostick went 1-for-4 as his infield single in the third inning led to the game-winning run. He scampered home on a double by Austin Meadows, who accounted for the other run in the first inning. Meadows doubled and scored when Jason Rogers singled.
“It was a really well-played game,” said Red Wings manager Mike Quade, “but when you lose it doesn’t help a whole lot.
“We just have to figure out how to get the offense going…We get contributions here and there, but if we’re going to get this club going we need it top to bottom…We just haven’t put it together as a group.”
Rochester had a chance to strike back in the home fifth when Tommy Field broke up Nick Kingham’s bid for a no-hitter with a single to center. Leonardo Reginatto followed with a single. Field advanced to third on a wild pitch with only one out. However, the Wings were unable to take advantage of the opportunity as back-to-back strikeouts by Bengie Gonzalez and Engelb Vielma ended the threat.
In the top of the sixth inning, Meadows recorded his third hit of the contest with an infield single. Rochester manager Mike Quade replaced starter David Hurlbut with Alan Busenitz. Hurlbut finished with 5+ innings, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk. He also had one strikeout. Busenitz retired the next three hitters in order.
In the bottom of the seventh, Niko Goodrum doubled off of Kingham to extend his hitting streak to seven games. Field followed with an RBI single, to bring the Wings to 2-1.
“He was throwing pretty hard, 96, 98 fastball and he gave me a fastball and I got a good swing on it,” Field said.
Kingham hurled 6.1 innings, allowing three hits, an earned run, a walk, and struck out five.
“I’ve got to tip my hat, he pitched a really nice ballgame,” Quade said. “He’s got some pretty good stuff. He threw a pretty good breaking ball that was striking guys out. That’s the kind of stuff people have to do to take it to the next level. He pitched really, really well.”
Busenitz pitched two scoreless innings, allowing two hits. Alex Wimmers threw the eighth, and worked around a runner at third with one out situation. He added a perfect ninth inning of relief.
The Indians out-hit the Red Wings, 8-4.
*NOTES – Zack Granite went 0-for-4, ending his 13-game hit streak…Sunday’s Bark in the Park event included a record 116 canines…Double-A Chattanooga right-handed pitcher John Curtiss has been named the Minnesota Twins minor league Player of the Week. He saved three games for the Lookouts, pitching 3.0 scoreless innings with one walk and six strikeouts in three games. The Dallas native was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the sixth round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Texas…The series concludes on Monday at 1:35 pm with Turn Back the Clock Day – featuring $5 tickets, and 50-cent hot dogs.
Links
Rochester Red Wings – redwingsbaseball.com
Videos
Tommy Field interview – https://youtu.be/ud_2DfsdY-E
Mike Quade interview – https://youtu.be/topuA-saWbw