The visitors from Kentucky score early and post a 12-5 victory over Rochester.
By CRAIG POTTER
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The one thing about baseball, there rarely is any carryover effect from one game to another.
The Louisville Bats made that evidently clear on Tuesday morning as they scored 4 runs in the first inning and went on to post a 12-5 victory over the Rochester Red Wings before 8,221 Camp Day fans at Frontier Field.
“It’s a different day,” said Red Wings manager Joel Skinner of the two games. “That’s baseball in general. From day to day, everything can change. There are different people in the lineup. There are all sorts of different things that go on.”
The Bats got to starter Adalberto Mejia for 4 runs on 4 hits in the first inning.
“They were able to jump on us early,” Skinner said. “Mejia settled the game down which is important. He was able to go out there and give us six innings which in that situation is a big deal. From that stand point, he did give us a chance.
“He had the two innings where they able to have multiple hits. It looked like from my vantage point some balls got in the middle of the plate that had a little elevation to ‘em. They were able to put some good swings on them. That’s just part of it. He got back into it and actually got a handle on the game.”
Brandon Dixon had himself a day as he doubled and score. He ended up hitting for the cycle with a single in the third, a solo homer in the 8th, and a triple in the 9th. He scored 4 runs and drove in 3 as he finished 4-for-5.
In the last 3 games Dixon has played against the Wings, he smacked 3 homers in the game in Louisville on Aug. 6, 2017, in addition to his hitting for the cycle today.
Rochester cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first as Taylor Motter drew a walk and Nick Gordon doubled down the right field line. Motter scored on Gregorio Petit’s groundout, and Kennys Vargas ripped a RBI double to left-center.
The Wings were blanked the rest of the way until the bottom of the 9th when the posted 3 runs on the scoreboard. Andy Wilkins led off with a solo homer, his second round-tripper in 2 days as he belted a grand slam Monday night.
“He (Wilkins) has some experience in this league,” said Skinner. “Any time you can add somebody that’s swinging the bat well that’s good.”
*NOTES — The Red Wings pitching staff had entered play Tuesday with a league best 3.32 ERA…Kennys Vargas is slashing .360/.430/.708 with 6 doubles, 4 homers, 12 RBI, and 7 runs scored in 10 games to begin July. He had a hit in his first 10 games this month, the longest hitting streak by a Red Wing this season. Vargas raised his batting average from .213 to .238, his on-base percentage from .295 to .318, and his slugging from .344 to .404 since July 1. Vargas’ 13 home runs this season are tied for fourth in the International League…Gregorio Petit is batting .382 (16-for-42) with 2 doubles, a homer, 10 RBI, and 7 runs scored since July 2…LaMonte Wade entered Tuesday with an 18-game on-base streak. That came to an end with an 0-for-4 performance.