A ninth inning rally falls short for Rochester.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — A ninth inning rally fell short as the Red Wings fell to the Bisons, 4-3, Friday night at Coca-Coal Field.
The loss snapped the Wings two-game winning streak. Still, Rochester is an impressive 20-13 away from Frontier Field this season.
Darnell Sweeney gave Buffalo the early 2-0 lead with a two-run double off Zack Littell in the second inning.
The Wings (30-34) bounced back with a run in the third on a LaMonte Wade RBI double to trim the Buffalo lead to 2-1.
Sweeney gave the Bisons the two-run lead back with a solo homer off Littell an inning later.
Littell (1-3) suffered his third straight loss for the Wings allowing three runs on six hits over 5.2 innings. The righty struck out four and walked two.
The score was 4-1 entering the ninth, but the Wings put their first two runners on. Each would come around to score on two sacrifice flies to trim the deficit to one before Taylor Featherston struck out to end the game.
The series continues Saturday night with Rochester sending southpaw Stephen Gonsalves (4-3, 5.89) to the mound opposite righty Chris Rowley (4-3, 3.32).
*NOTES — In roster moves Friday, OF Jake Cave was actived after being optioned by the Minnesota Twins; and INF Taylor Motter was recalled by Minnesota…Chris Carter has hit five home runs since joining Rochester after
hitting 13 with Triple-A Salt Lake. The 18 combined homers are tied for second in the minor leagues this season. Seuly Matias leads all minor leaguers with 20 home runs for Single-A Lexington. Carter’s Bees teammate, Jabari Blash, has also hit 18 and so has Jared Walsh (13 with Single-A Inland Empire and five with Double-A Mobile)…Willians Astudillo already has hit a career-high 7 homers this season, and 2 of those have come in the 9th inning of a tie game on the road. He also stolen 5 bases this season after just 6 steals in his last 5 seasons combined. He stole a career-best 11 bases in 2011 with the Venezuelan Summer League Phillies…The Red Wings have hit 25 home runs in 25 games since May 22 after hitting 16 homers in the previous 38 games. Kennys Vargas leads the club with 8 home runs, with 5 coming in a 9-game stretch from game one on May 25 to May 31.