Compiled by Craig Potter
Today’s SportsROC Report includes stories including stories on the Rochester Red Wings lose in extra innings, the Rochester Rattlers goalie helps a charity, and the NLL selects the Philadelphia area for its new headquarters.
Durham’s grand slam ends Red Wings winning streak at 5
The Rochester Red Wings battled back from a 4-1 deficit to tie the game 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth, but a grand slam in the 10th inning propelled the Durham Bulls to a 9-5 victory on Monday night before 5,356 fans at Frontier Field.
The Triple-A IL All-Star starting pitcher, Jason Wheeler, despite striking out 7 batters, was tagged for 4 runs in the first inning, 3 of which were unearned when rookie right fielder Daniel Palka dropped a routine fly ball, which would have been the third out with only 1 run home for the Tides.
The Bulls also took advantage of a Red Wings miscue to lead off the 10th, which was capped by a grand slam by Durham’s Taylor Motter off reliever Buddy Boshers. The homer was the first Boshers has given up this season.
Adam Brett Walker, Jorge Polanco, and Byung Ho Park all hit solo homers for the Red Wings. Polanco also ripped a 2-run single in the 9th that tied the game at 4-4.
The loss also dropped Rochester (56-41) into third place in the International League North Division, a half game behind Lehigh Valley (56-40). The Red Wings trail first place Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (60-36) by 4.5 games.
*NOTES — The loss was the first for the Red Wings in the 15 games when Adam Brett Walker had a home run in the contest…The 4-game sweep of Norfolk was the first time since May 13-16, 2014, that the Red Wings swept a 4-game series, either home or away, wheich they won against Columbus at Frontier Field. The last time the Wings swept the Tide was July 26-29, 2013.
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Rattlers goalie helps charity
Rochester Rattlers goalie John Galloway and the Don Litzelman Foundation teamed up for a successful event on Saturday after the Rattlers home win against the Charlotte Hounds. Fans lined up for a chance to score on one of the best MLL goalies in the league today.
“The Don Litzelman Foundation sincerely thanks the Rochester Rattlers Organization and goalie John Galloway for an outstanding fund raiser yesterday after their exciting win over Charlotte,” said Brian Kinel from the organization. “John’s gracious donation of his time and goaltending abilities helped us raise $370 as he took 74 shots on goal from youth lacrosse players and a couple not so young shooters. This will help us in our efforts to help the Dana Farber Institute reach its goal of 10 CO2 Incubators by the end of 2020.
“We donated the first in January of this year and just delivered two more. Our goal is three in 2017. The other win from yesterday was the great time had by the kids, getting such an exciting opportunity to shoot on an All-World goalie. That would have made Don very proud.”
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NLL selects Philadelphia area for new headquarters
The National Lacrosse League (NLL), the largest men’s professional indoor lacrosse league in North America, today announced it has officially relocated its corporate headquarters from New York to the Philadelphia suburb of Conshohocken, PA. The new operations center will occupy a top floor suite at Spring Mill Corporate Center at 1100 E Hector Street and accommodate NLL employees at the corporate level, as the League continues its push for major growth. The League will continue to maintain a sales office in New York City.
As more companies choose the Philadelphia area as the epicenter of their business, the League’s relocation underscores the advantages of this metro market. Conshohocken, located 15 miles outside the City of Philadelphia, has experienced a huge surge of development in the last 20 years, transforming the small mill town into a booming economic hub for Pennsylvania businesses across various industries, including technology, design, retail and financial services. The NLL will be the sole major sports league headquartered in the Philadelphia area.
“We welcome the National Lacrosse League to Pennsylvania and we wish them well in their efforts to grow enthusiasm and interest in one of North America’s oldest sports,” Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf said. “This move underscores the economic strength of the Philadelphia region for attracting new businesses and organizations.”
The relocation of the NLL, which formerly operated out of New York City since 2001, signifies a substantial change for the League, building momentum ahead of the 2017 season. Last month, the League announced the appointment of Chief Marketing Officer Ashley Dabb and Chief Revenue Officer Kevin Morgan who will support the League’s expansion as the 30-year-old sports association builds its new home in southeast Pennsylvania.
“It’s no secret that Philadelphia has immense enthusiasm for professional athletics, and the City of Brotherly Love has not been shy to embrace the fast-growing game of lacrosse,” said Nick Sakiewicz, Commissioner of the NLL. “In staking territory in Conshohocken, just a few miles away from downtown, we’ll have prime access to the city’s diehard fanatics, as well as connections to the top sports executives in the country. This region’s passion for competitive play will help take this league to its greatest heights, continuing to entertain and captivate audiences nationwide.”
In the 2016 season, regular attendance across the League increased by two percent, with NLL teams such as the Buffalo Bandits, Rochester Knighthawks, and the newly observed Saskatchewan Rush, seeing a double-digit rise in attendance.
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