The Pawtucket RedSox sweep the shortened 2-game series with a 5-2 victory.
By Nick Sciarratta and Ben Blakely / Rochester Red Wings
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Red Wings dropped a 5-2 decision to the Pawtucket Red Sox Sunday afternoon at Frontier Field. The Wings return home May 7 to open a homestand against Toledo (Tigers) and Durham (Rays)
Rochester starting pitcher Justin Nicolino ran into trouble in the top of the first, walking three of the first four batters he faced to load the bases with one out. After recording a strikeout, the Wings had two outs. But Sam Travis ripped a two-RBI single , giving Pawtucket a 2-0 lead. Nicolino picked off Travis at first to end the inning.
In the bottom half of the first, the Wings had their first scoring opportunity of the afternoon off Pawtucket’s starter Mike Shawaryn. John Andreoli worked a walk and Luke Raley hit a line-drive single up the middle, giving the Wings runners on first and second with two outs. However, Zander Wiel struck out swinging to end the scoring chance.
Rochester had another scoring chance in the bottom of the third, as Andreoli and Raley forced walks. Wiel grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Nicolino settled in on the mound after the first inning for the Wings, throwing five innings of scoreless ball.
In the bottom of the sixth, Rochester cashed in on their fourth scoring opportunity of the afternoon. With one out, Raley hit his third home run of the season on a solo shot to right field, making the score 2-1. Wiel followed Raley’s homer with his second triple of the season and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Adam Rosales, tying the game at 2-2. .
With one out in the top of the seventh, Mike Morin came in to relieve Nicolino. Nicolino finished with 6.1 innings pitched, giving up five hits and two earned runs. He walked four and struck out two, throwing 96 pitches, 55 for strikes.
Shawaryn exited in the bottom of the seventh, bringing in Trevor Kelley from the PawSox bullpen. Sharwaryn threw 6.0 innings, giving up four hits and two earned runs, walking five and striking out one. He finished with 94 pitches, 52 for strikes.
Pawtucket had runners at second and third with one out in the eighth against Morin, who got a strikeout and a popout and was on the verge of escaping the jam. Juan Centeno hit a 3-1 pitch into the Red Wings bullpen, putting the PawSox ahead 5-2.
Morin worked 2.2 innings and allowed five hits, three earned runs, and walked one with three strikeouts.
Raley and Jordany Valdespin each had two hits for the Red Wings.
*NOTES — The Minnesota Twins recalled OF Jake Cave Sunday after C/INF Wilians Astudillo was placed on the Injured List in the big leagues with a hamstring injury. INF Drew Maggi was transferred to Rochester from Double-A Pensacola to fill Cave’s roster spot…Double-A Pensacola outfielder Jaylin Davis and Red Wings left-handed pitcher Lewis Thorpe have been named Twins minor league player and Pitcher of the Week…In 6 games for the Blue Wahoos, Davis hit .407 (11-for-27) with three doubles, two home runs, six RBI and a 1.148 OPS…Davis, 24, was drafted by the Twins in the 24th round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of Appalachian State University…Thorpe made one start for the Red Wings on Tuesday vs Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre, allowing one run on three hits in 8.0 innings while striking out 12 batters for the second straight start…Thorpe, who was the Twins minor league Pitcher of the Year last season, was signed in 2012 out of Melbourne, Australia.