Rochester closes out the homestand with a loss to Buffalo.
By Nick Sciarratta and Ben Blakely / Rochester Red Wings
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bisons defeated the Rochester Red Wings, 9-5, Sunday afternoon at Frontier Field.
After a delayed start of an hour and 15 minutes, Red Wings starter Kohl Stewart cruised through the top of the first, recording a 1-2-3 inning.
Rochester had their first scoring opportunity in the bottom of the second off Buffalo starter Sean Reid-Foley. With two outs, Brent Rooker singled to left and Randy Cesar followed with a walk. Jordany Valdespin followed Cesar with an infield single to load the bases. Drew Maggi worked Reid-Foley into an eight-pitch walk, plating Rooker, giving the Wings a 1-0 lead. The Wings were not finished in the inning, as Reid-Foley issued his third walk of the inning to Nick Gordon, making the score 2-0.
Buffalo battled back in the top of the third on a two-RBI double with two outs, tying the game 2-2.
The Bisons went ahead 5-2 with a run in the fourth inning, and a two-run home run by Billy McKinney, 5-2.
Zack Weiss came in to relieve Stewart after the homer. Stewart threw 4.1 innings, giving up six hits and five earned runs. He walked three and struck out four, throwing 87 pitches, 52 for strikes. Buffalo extended their lead off Weiss on a solo home run by Patrick Kivlehan, making the score 6-2.
The Wings cut into Buffalo’s lead in the bottom half. With one out, Gordon lined a triple to right-center. Two pitches later, Gordon scored on a wild pitch by Reid-Foley, cutting the deficit to three, 6-3.
Rochester’s offense gained another scoring opportunity in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Wynston Sawyer recorded a double and Rooker worked a walk. Zach Jackson came in to relieve Reid-Foley after the walk. Foley finished with 5.1 innings pitched, giving up four hits and three earned runs. He walked and struck out five, throwing 108 pitches, 62 for strikes.
Jackson recorded a Cesar fly out and Valdespin fielder’s choice to second base to end the scoring opportunity.
Rochester made their second call to the bullpen in the top of the seventh, bringing in Trevor Hildenberger. Weiss threw 1.2 innings, giving up four hits and one earned runs while walking one.
Preston Guilmet came in to relieve Hildenberger with two outs in the top of the eighth. Socrates Brito hit a two run home run, one run charged to Hildenberger and Guilmet, making the score 8-3. Hildenberger pitched 1.2 innings, giving up two hits and one earned run, striking out one.
The Wings offense woke up in the bottom of the eighth off Buffalo reliever Matt Dermody. Zander Wiel started the inning with a single. Jake Cave followed with a RBI triple to left-center, making the score 8-4. Sawyer’s RBI double pulled the Wings to within three runs at 8-5.
Kivlehan homered for the second time in the ninth inning, putting the Buffalo lead at four with a 9-5 score.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Wings put two runners on with none out against Jordan Romano. Three strikeouts later, Romano had shut down the Red Wings and preserved the Buffalo win.
The Bisons out-hit the Red Wings 14-8.
*NOTES — Jake Cave’s eighth inning triple boosted his hitting streak to 9 games, and on-base streak to 10 games.