The PawSox defeat Rochester in front of sell-out crowd at McCoy Stadium.
PAWTUCKET, R.I. — Jantzen Witte highlighted a 12-hit offensive outbreak, and William Cuevas and a pair of relievers helped direct the PawSox to a well-rounded 8-1 win over the Rochester Red Wings on Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of more than 10,000 at McCoy Stadium.
A night after they walked off with a thrilling win in the series opener on a Brandon Phillips homer, the PawSox (51-59) thumped the Red Wings (49-61) in the middle matchup of the 3-game series. Pawtucket bookended its victory with a 4-run second inning and 4 more runs in the eighth.
In his first game back from Double-A Portland, Witte (2-for-4) drove in four runs, supplying a two-run homer in the second and a two-run single in the eighth. Right fielder Aneury Tavarez (2-for-5, 2B) and shortstop Mike Miller (3-for-4, 2 R, RBI) rounded out the offense. In his last 24 games dating back to June 29, Miller is 33-for-82 (.402) – the second-highest average in the International League in that time, behind only White Sox prospect Eloy Jiménez.
Cuevas (W, 8-6) struck out seven in 6.1 innings of one-run ball, while right-handed reliever Matthew Gorst (1.2 IP, 1 H) and southpaw Bobby Poyner (1-2-3 ninth inning) combined on 2.2 shutout stanzas to lock up the victory.
Twins rehabbing starter Aaron Slegers (L, 5-7) yielded 3 runs in 1.2 innings, and piggybacker Kohl Stewart was touched up for 4 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks in 5.2 frames.
After toiling away in a 9-pitch at-bat, Pawtucket center fielder Kyle Wren laced a 2-run triple into the right-field corner to score catcher Mike Ohlman and Miller. The very next batter, Witte, greeted Rochester reliever Ryne Harper by bashing a two-run homer to left field to make it 4-0.
Rochester finally inched onto the scoreboard in the top of the seventh inning on an RBI single from leadoff man Taylor Motter to plate Andy Wilkins and trim the gap to 4-1. The Red Wings managed just 6 hits in the game as Willians Astudillo had a pair of singles
The PawSox now conclude their 3-game series against Rochester on Sunday at 1:35 p.m. Pawtucket right-hander Justin Haley (5-7, 3.66) is scheduled to oppose Rochester righty Fernando Romero (3-3, 3.06).
*NOTES — In roster moves Saturday, RHP Aaron Slegers begins his MLB rehab assignment; OF Johnny Field was actived after being claimed off waivers from Cleveland on Aug. 3; and OF LaMonte Wade was placed on the disabled list with a right hamstring strain, retroactive to Aug. 3…The Minnesota Twins and Rochester Red Wings signed a 2-year extension on their player development contract Wednesday that will run through the 2020 season. The Twins are just the third affiliate in Rochester’s history, joining the Orioles (1961-2002) and Cardinals (1929-60)…Coming into tonight’s game, Rochester is 83-for-the-last-455 (.182 average) with runners in scoring position since the 8th inning on June 2 in Norfolk. Overall, the Red Wings are batting .204 with RISP and .198 with RISP and two outs this season.