A 5-run 5th inning keeps Rochester under .500.
By Nick Sciarratta and Sean McCarthy / Rochester Red Wings
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Entering Sunday ‘s home game against Pawtucket, the Rochester Red Wings had the chance to get to a .500 record for the first time since the beginning of the season. But the PawSox posted a five-run fifth inning, knocking out Kohl Stewart and leading to a 10-5 win at Frontier Field. Five Pawtucket pitchers held the Wings to just seven hits, with Jake Cave picking up a single and double. Rochester was just 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position.
The Red Wings got on the board first with a two-out single by Ronald Torreyes to give the Wings an early 2-0 lead. Brent Rooker started the bottom of the second with a ground rule double off Pawtucket’s starter Darwinzon Hernandez. Following Rooker’s double LaMonte Wade Jr. took a five pitch walk and Wynston Sawyer took a pitch off the foot to load up the bases. Torreyes singled to left with a 2-0 count and two outs to give the Wings the lead.
Wings starter Stewart allowed a lead off walk in the top of the third and then let up a double to put two runners in scoring position. Following back to back groundballs to Nick Gordon at second, Pawtucket capitalized with runners in scoring position and tie the game at 2-2.
In the bottom half of the third inning the Wings had a chance to take the lead when Cave doubled to left, and advanced to third with a long fly ball to left from Rooker. Wade Jr. had a chance to knock in Cave from third, but he struck out swinging to end the inning.
Stewart struggled to begin the fourth allowing a lead off double to Bryce Brentz and then allowed a walk. . Following a groundout from Chris Owings that advanced Brentz to third Josh Tobias grounded out to third that allowed Brentz to score and give the PawSox a 3-2 lead. Stewart was able to get out of a jam, with two outs and a runner on third, he got Jake Romanski to ground out back to the mound and threw to first to retire the side.
Pawtucket extended their lead in the top of the fifth. Chad De La Guerra, Josh Ockimey, and Cole Sturgeon all had RBI hits for the PawSox, putting them up 8-2. Stewart’s day was over with two outs left in the fifth, when he was replaced by Sean Poppen.
Stewart finished with 4.2 innings pitched allowing eight runs all of which were earned, walked three, striking out four, and threw 90 pitches, 53 strikes.
Poppen struck out the first batter he faced to end the inning with a runner at third to keep the deficit at six.
Hernandez was replaced with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning. He finished with 4.2 innings pitched, allowing three hits, two earned runs, and three walks with eight strikeouts. Hernandez threw 102 pitches, 56 for strikes.
Pawtucket added another insurance run in the top of the sixth when De La Guerra singled, making it a 9-2 game.
The Wings got back on the board in the bottom of the seventh. Zander Wiel singled, allowing Cave to score from second and cutting the lead to 9-3. A wild pitch allowed Rooker to score from third to make the score 9-4. Jaylen Davis grounded out to third with a runner at second to end the scoring threat.
Pawtucket responded in the top of the eighth with a single by De La Guerra putting the PawSox on top 10-4. De La Guerra’s single marked his fourth hit of the game and third RBI.
In the bottom half of the eighth Gordon hit a sacrifice fly adding one more run for the Wings making it a 10-5 game.
Poppen was replaced by Andrew Vasquez in the top of the ninth. Poppen struck out five and allowed two earned runs in 3.1 innings pitched.
*NOTES — The Minnesota Twins have announced the following roster moves: ADD: OF Jake Cave and OF LaMonte Wade Jr. were optioned by Minnesota (on June 29); DELETE: INF Brian Schales was transferred to Double-A Pensacola…Brent Rooker extended his on-base streak to 18 games with a double in the second inning…Wynston Sawyer got hit by a pitch in the second inning, extending his on-base streak to 8 games…Drew Maggi extended his on-base streak to 10 games. with a hit by pitch in the fifth inning…Jake Cave had 2 hits, giving him an 8-game hitting streak…The Syracuse Mets come to town for a 3-game set beginning Monday night at 7:05 pm, with all tickets $5, and the first 500 kids 12 and under get a free hot dog, drink, and snack.