Zack Granite’s first RBI of the season propels Rochester to a 2-1 victory.
By CRAIG POTTER
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Zack Granite’s first RBI of the season propelled the Rochester Red Wings (Plates) to their third consecutive victory at Frontier Field with a 2-1 triumph over the Syracuse Chiefs (Salt Patotes) in 10 innings Thursday night in front of a crowd of 6,780 fans.
“Finally — it was a big monkey on my back,” said Granite. “I was thinking about it a lot.
“It’s a little embarrassing, you know, 40 some games or whatever I’ve played (48 games) without an RBI. I was pretty pumped. It feels great and we got a win, that’s what matters.”
The game was billed as the “Dual of the Dishes” with Rochester playing as the (Garbage) Plates and Syracuse as the Salt Potatoes.
“What’d we win, like a wooden fork or something?” Granite asked.
“Now I guess I have to get a plate,” Rochester manager Joel Skinner joked afterward.
Starting pitchers Austin Voth of Syracuse and Zack Littell of Rochester were involved in a scoreless dual through six innings.
The Red Wings pushed across a run in the seventh as Jake Cave led off the frame with a single. With one out, LaMonte Wade drew a walk.
Chris Smith came on in relief for the Chiefs as Willians Astudillo singled to load the bases. Kennys Vargas stroked a ground ball to second baseman Adrian Sanchez, who lunged to tag Astudillo but missed. He then threw on to first to retire Vargas for the second out as Cave scored from third.
Astudillo was called “out” on the play.
Astudillo and Skinner immediately gathered around umpire Shane Livensparger to argue, and he agreed to ask his crew for help. The umpires met and reversed the call to “safe.”
“We asked them to get together with the crew and get the play way we thought it went,” said Skinner.
Syracuse manager Randy Knott then came out to argue the call and ended up being ejected from the game.
Littell threw 6.2 innings, scattering 4 hits, walking 1, and striking out 6 hitters.
“I just decided I was going to attack and if they’re going to beat me, they were going to have to hit me,” Littell said.
The visitors from the Salt City tied the score in the ninth against Rochester reliever Tyler Duffey. The Chiefs turned a leadoff walk into the tying run on a 1-out fielder’s choice.
In extra innings, each team starts off with a runner at second base. Leonardo Reginatto pinch-ran for Cameron Rupp for Rochester in the 10th. Gregorio Petit’s sacrifice bunt advanced him to third. Granite, who replaced Minnesota Twins outfielder Bryon Buxton, who is here on a rehab assignment, then ripped a single up the middle for the game-winning hit.
“We’ve been playing terrible at home, we know that, we don’t feel good when we lose here,” said Granite.
Nick Anderson (3-1), who hurled the 10th inning for Rochester, picked up the win.
*NOTES — Red Wings pitchers Jake Reed and Dietrich Enns assisted with Meals On Wheels deliveries today, in advance of the “Duel of the Dishes” where Rochester will play as the Rochester Plates and the Syracuse Chiefs will play as the Syracuse Salt Potatoes. The players went out with Meals On Wheels volunteers and helped deliver meals that closely resemble what is in a garbage plate. All the meals prepared for Meals On Wheels are overseen by a registered dietician and contain one third of a senior’s daily recommended dietary allowances…In roster moves Thursday, OF Edgar Corcino was transferred from Double-A Chattanooga; and OF Nick Buss was released…The Red Wings are tied for the International League lead with a 3.39 ERA, rising from a league-best 2.95 on May 24. Rochester has thrown 8 shutouts and allowed 3 or fewer runs in 36 of 68 games this season…Bryon Buxton went 1-for-3 and was hit by a pitch to lead off the game on his rehab assignment…The win gives the Plates a 1-4 record at home and 3-6 overall.
Morgan Shield
Pittsford native and US Olympic Ski Team member Morgan Shield threw out the first pitch. She participated in the South Korean Olympic Games and looks forward to competing in the next Olympics in China.
Links
Rochester Red Wings – redwingsbaseball.com
Videos
Zack Granite RBI – https://youtu.be/cHAUpvC6lYg
Morgan Shield 1st pitch – https://youtu.be/baY77_PlDh8
Morgan Shield interview – https://youtu.be/r-LkJJ2Lsas