Rochester second baseman Jorge Polanco thwarts Buffalo with the defensive play of the game.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Rochester Red Wings held off several challenges from the Buffalo Bisons to post a 5-2 victory on Tuesday night before 3,833 fans at Frontier Field.
Second baseman Jorge Polanco made the play of the game in the fourth inning to thwart the Bisons.
Buffalo threatened to retake the lead in the fourth with runners on first and second. David Adams lined a shot up the middle that hit of Rochester pitcher Logan Darnell in the left shoulder as he turned to protect himself. The ball deflected towards shortstop where Polanco made a diving stab for it and smothered it. The play kept at lease one run from scoring and loaded the bases with 2 outs.
A fly out to Adam Brett Walker in left then ended the frame for Buffalo with the game still knotted 1-1.
The Bisons scored in the first off starter Logan Darnell. Walker knotted the count with his 12th home run of the season in the third.
“It was a curveball,” Walker said of his homer.
“The offense has really been coming around. I think we’re just trying to find ways to score runs…Take advantage of getting guys in scoring position.
The Wings forged ahead in the fifth when Wilfredo Tovar reached third when his fly ball down the right field line was dropped the Bison fielder. Buck Britton plated him with a sacrifice fly. John Ryan Murphy made it a 3-1 lead with his first homer of the season.
“It felt great,” Murphy said. “When I’m locked in I think I’m getting hits. I’ll take hits when they come at anytime.
Each team scored a run in the 6th. Eddie Rosario continued his hot hitting with a 2-out double down the left field line, then scampered home on Tovar’s single to center.
The Red Wings added an insurance run in the 7th as Walker led off with a walk, took second on a wild pitch and third on a strike out-throw out. James Beresford then singled him home.
Darnell threw 6.1 innings and was tagged for 10 hits but just yielded 2 runs.
“He got into a couple of jams early but he made some good pitches when it mattered with runners in scoring position,” said catcher Murphy.
Darnell walked 3 and struck out 3 in gaining the win (6-5).
“One of the things about being a starting pitcher is dealing with those situations and not let innings erupt into crooked numbers,” said Red Wings manager Mike Quade. “He did a fabulous job in that, and on a night when you needed to keep the ball out of the air.”
Darnell left in the 7th with runners on first and second and one out. Marcus Walden came on in relief and retired the next two hitters.
In the eighth, Buffalo’s Alexi Caasilla’s deep drive to center bounced and hit the top of the railing for a ground rule double that prevented baserunner Adams, who had singled, from scoring.
The Bisons outhit the Red Wings, 12-8, and stranded 12 runners on base.
The series shifts to Buffalo for games Wednesday and Thursday nights.
Rochester (34-25) maintained a 1.5-game lead over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (32-26) in the International League north Division as the Bisons (31-27) dropped to 2.5 games behind the Wings.
*NOTES – Alex Wimmers and wife Amy had their first child at 2:05 on Tuesday afternoon, a girl named Andi Lee. She weighed 8 lbs and 1 oz., and 20 inches long. Mother and baby are doing well…The Red Wings are just 1 of 5 teams to have 30 or more wins thus far, and 4 of the 5 reside in the IL North Division…James Beresford extended his on-base game streak to 19 when he drew a walk in the 5th inning.
Links
Rochester Red Wings – redwingsbaseball.com
Videos
Adam Brett Walker interview – https://youtu.be/8NzeIsawHeM
John Ryan Murphy interview – https://youtu.be/SS-fSHVCqQQ
Manager Mike Quade interview – https://youtu.be/SOIJMArXbDw