Jeremy Hazelbaker’s homer and Jon Kemmer’s single propel Rochester to a 3-2 win over the Knights.
By CRAIG POTTER
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Jeremy Hazelbaker’s 2-run homer and Jon Kemmer’s RBI single propelled the Rochester Red Wings to a 3-2 victory over the Charlotte Knights on Sunday afternoon before 8,456 fans at Frontier Field.
The visitors from North Carolina grabbed a 1-0 in the second inning off Rochester starter Zack Littell, who hurled 6 innings, scattering 5 hits, walking 1 and striking out 7 batters in earning the win (4-5).
Hazelbaker put the Red Wings in front with a 2-run, 364-foot blast over the right field fence in the fifth.
“With two strikes, I was just looking to battle and put the ball in play,” Hazelbaker said.
Andy Wilkins drew a 2-out walk before Hazelbaker’s home run, his 11th of the season and third as a Red Wing.
The Muncie, IN., native is the first Ball State University product to play for the Red Wings since Hall of Famer Merv Rettenmund (1968) did on his way up to the Baltimore Orioles.
Hazelbaker is playing in his 10th professional season, originally drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 2009 draft. The Minnesota Twins acquired him on July 19 from Tampa Bay for cash considerations.
Ball State also is where I earned my Masters degree in journalism, and last summer a Ball State student was an intern for the Red Wings in their video department.
“We’re everywhere,” said Hazelbaker as probably the most famous Ball State graduate is David Letterman.
“That home run really picked us up,” said Red Wings manager Joel Skinner.
Charlotte knotted the game in the sixth on a solo home run by Jose Rondon, but the Wings responded in the bottom of the frame to retake the lead.
Nick Gordon led off the frame with a high fly ball to left that the Knights fielder lost in the sun as it fell in for a double.
“This time of year the sun is lower on the horizon and it’s starting to go back down a little bit so it makes left field a little bit tougher,” Skinner said. “In mid-afternoon it was kind of a break for us.”
With 2 outs, Kemmer ripped a hit up the middle as Gordon scampered around to score what proved to be the game-winning run.
Both Rochester runs came after 2 outs were recorded by the Knights.
“Two-out RBIs are tough,” said Skinner.
The Rochester bullpen took over from there as Jake Reed and Alan Busenitz shut out the Knights with just 2 hits over the final 3 innings.
“Today our pitching did a great job,” Skinner said.
*NOTES — The win over Charlotte was just the second in their 6 meetings this season for Rochester…The Red Wings have 10 games remaining at Frontier Field as they travel to Ohio to take on the Columbus Clippers (3 games) and Toledo Mud Hens (4 games) before returning home to face Pawtucket Red Sox on Tuesday, Aug. 21…Entering today’s game, the Red Wings were tied for second in the International League with Durham with a 3.53 ERA. Pawtucket leads the league at 3.40. A rochester team has not led the league in ERA since the 1976 squad posted a 3.51 mark…Rochester is last in the IL with 397 runs and a 3.40 runs per game average. The Red Wings are on pace to score 475 runs, which would be the lowest run total and runs per game average by a Rochester team since at least 1979…Rochester has used a record 34 different position players this year, believed to be a franchise record.The Red Wings had 38 different players register a plate appearance in 1960 and 1945, 37 in 1968 and 1946, 36 in 1959, and 35 in 1951, but those totals include pitchers who batted…RHP Kohl Stewart made his big league debut for the Twins Sunday afternoon in Detroit, giving up 3 runs in 4.2 innings pitched…Kaitlin Clementi, from Greece, became the 10-millionth fan to see a Red Wings International League baseball game at Frontier Field on Sunday…The Red Wings also inducted numerous individuals, including Brian Gionta, and two teams into their Walk of Fame in pregame ceremonies Sunday.