Rochester picks up a game on Lehigh Valley for the Wild Card berth.
ALLENTOWN, PA., — Byungho Park’s go-ahead solo home run in the top of the eighth proved to be the difference in the game as the Rochester Red Wings (65-49) edged the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (68-45), 3-2 on Friday night at Coca-Cola Park.
Park’s homer was the 100th of the season for Rochester as the Red Wings lead the International League in that category.
Red Wings starter Nick Greenwood (3-2) gave up 2 runs (1 earned) on 8 hits to go along with a pair of strikeouts. LHP Ryan O’Rourke (1.0 IP, 2 K) and RHP Pat Light (1.0 IP, K) combined to get the final 6 outs for manager Mike Quade’s squad. Light retired the side in order in the ninth to notch his eighth save of the year.
Rochester took a 1-0 lead with a run in the first as Trevor Plouffe reached on a 2-out double and scored on Park’s RBI single. Plouffe continues on his rehab assignment from the Minnesota Twins.
The IronPigs tied things at one apiece with a run in the third when Cedric Hunter (2-3, 2B, 2 R) led off with a single, advanced to second on a sac bunt, went to third on an infield single and scored on a passed ball by Red Wings catcher John Ryan Murphy with two outs in the frame.
Adam Brett Walker’s solo homer, his 22nd of the season, off of Pigs starter Anthony Vasquez in the top of the fourth opened up a 2-1 lead for Rochester.
A run in the bottom of the fifth tied things at two apiece for the IronPigs as Hunter led off with a double, advanced to third on a bloop single, and scored when Darnell Sweeney grounded into a forceout.
The victory moved Rochester to within 3.5 games of Lehigh Valley for the Wild Card berth. The Wings trailed North Division leader Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (70-43) by 5.5 games as LV dropped to 2 games behind the RailRiders.
The series continues on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. as LHP Adam Morgan (5-1, 3.24) will take the hill for the IronPigs against Red Wings LHP Andrew Albers (9-4, 3.23).