By CRAIG POTTER
Rochester’s offense struggles in the 5-2 loss to the Stripers.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Red Wings managed just 2 hits on Tuesday night in a 5-2 loss to the Gwinnett Stripers before a paid crowd of 4,138 at Frontier Field.
The visitors from Georgia broke open a close game with a grand slam in the seventh inning to secure the victory.
The Stripers finally cashed in a run off Rochester starter Myles Jaye with a run in the fifth inning. He worked out of jams in each of the first 4 frames as Gwinnett stranded 5 runners in scoring position over that span. In the second inning, Sean Kazmar Jr. attempted to score from first on a double down the right field line by Tyler Smith. Rightfielder Jake Cave retrieved the ball and fired it to second baseman Taylor Featherston. His replay to catcher Willian Astudillo was in plenty of time for the tag on Kazmar.
However, the fifth the Stripers were able to capitalize on a RBI single by Carlos Franco.
“He did a good job,” Red Wings manager Joel Skinner said of Jaye. “He gave us a chance to win the ballgame, and that’s the job of a starting pitcher.”
Jaye hurled 5 innings, yielding 7 hits, walking 3 and striking out 4.
The Red Wings tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. Gregorio Petit led off with an infield hit down the third base line. With two outs, Jake Cave sent a fly ball to left-center field that Gwinnett leftfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. dropped as he fell down, allowing Petit to scamper around the basepaths and score.
Ryan Harper took over on the mound in the sixth and retired the side in order. However, the 7th proved to be more difficult 2 walks and a single, sandwiched around a strikeout, loaded the bases. Dustin Peterson ripped a pitch over the left field fence for the grand slam.
He got ahead in the count and left a pitch in the middle of the plate,” Skinner said. “He’d probably want that one pitch back.
“He pitched better than the numbers.”
The Wings plated a run in the ninth as Astudillo singled home Cave, who reached on a walk.
The offense managed just 2 hits and five times went 1-2-3.
“We haven’t been swinging the bats at all during this homestand, basically,” said Skinner. “It’s something that we need to improve on…Start fresh every day and continue to work what they’re working on and start putting some quality bats together.”
Rookie Nick Anderson hurled the 8th and 9th for the Wings as he fanned 4 while yielding just 1 hit.
“I just tried to mix it up, fastball, curve, changeup,” Anderson said. “I found out the more you mix it up, it makes things a little easier.”
*NOTES — RHP Alan Busenitz was optioned by the Minnesota Twins to Rochester after Monday night’s game…Red Wings hitting coach Chad Allen was ejected by home plate umpire Ryan Clark in the bottom of the eighth inning, after Nick Buss was called out on strikes…RHP Tyler Duffey was recalled by the Twins on Tuesday. He was named the Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Week for the period ending April 21 after winning both appearances and firing 6.2 scoreless innings with 2 hits and 1 walk allowed with 10 strikeouts. He leads the IL in lowest ERA (0.00), wins (3), lowest average against (0.086), WHIP (0.36), and fewest baserunners per 9 inning a hit in 10 of those…Rochester’s bullpen has pitched to a 1.86 ERA (13 ER, 63.0 IP) entering tonight’s game, surrendering 24 total runs on 47 hits and 16 walks with 79 strikeouts.
Links
Rochester Red Wings – redwingsbaseball.com