By Nick Sciarratta and Chad Raychel / Rochester Red Wings
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Red Wings topped the Buffalo Bisons, 7-2, Saturday night at Frontier Field.
The Bisons struck first in the top of the second inning on a wild pitch by Red Wings’ starter Sean Poppen allowing Jordan Patterson to score and give Buffalo a 1-0 lead.
The Red Wings responded in the bottom of the second against Bisons’ starter Conor Fisk. Randy Cesar led the inning off with a single, followed by a bunt by Jordany Valdespin and a throwing error by Patrick Kivlehan, allowing the runners to advance to second and third. Tomas Telis grounded out in the next at bat bringing in Cesar from third and tying the game 1-1.
Buffalo retook the lead in the top of the third with a solo home run of the bat of Teoscar Hernandez, making it a 2-1 game.
Fisk finished his outing throwing 4.0 innings, allowing two hits, one unearned run, three walks, while striking out five. He threw 73 pitches, 42 for strikes.
Rochester tied the game again in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run off the left field foul pole by Zander Wiel. His eighth home run of the season made the score 2-2.
Before Fernando Romero came on in relief in the sixth, Poppen threw 5.0 innings, allowed four hits, two runs; one of which was earned, three walks, and struck out five. 52 of his 92 pitches were for strikes.
The Red Wings broke the tie again in the bottom of the seventh. Drew Maggi and Nick Gordon hit singles, followed by a walk to Wiel to load the bases. Jake Cave hit a bases clearing double in the next at bat to give Rochester the lead. Brent Rooker followed Cave up with an RBI double of his own to make the score 6-2.
Romero worked 2.0 scoreless innings in relief with two strikeouts.
The Wings extended their lead in the bottom of the eighth. Telis hit a double and advanced to third after Maggi hit his second single of the night. Gordon hit a sacrifice fly bringing in Telis from third and giving Rochester a 7-2 lead.
Ryan Eades pitched the last two innings of the game and struck out four batters.
Rochester out-hit Buffalo 9-6.
*NOTES — The teams meet again Sunday at 1:05 pm, with Chase and Marshall from Paw Patrol at the ballpark, another Knot Hole Kids’ Club game, and kids can run the bases with Spikes and Mittsy after the game…OF Brent Rooker was reinstated from the injured list…OF Tanner English was transferred to Double-A Pensacola.