By CRAIG POTTER
Late unearned runs foil a strong starting pitching performance by Rochester’s Tim Melville.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Tim Melville pitched well enough to win, but three unearned runs in the eighth inning propelled the Columbus Clippers to a 4-1 victory over the Rochester Red Wings in their first meeting of the season on Monday night before a paid crowd of 3,455 fans at Frontier Field.
Despite a 45-minute rain delay to start the game, Melville hurled 7 innings, yielding 1 run on 2 hits. He also walked 3 and struck out 9 batters in gaining no decision.
“It’s happened (rain delay) quite a few times this season so you just try to keep your mind locked in,” Melville said.
“We wasted a really good start. Melville was excellent,” said Red Wings manager Mike Quade.
The Red Wings broke on top with a run in the third inning when Niko Goodrum laced a one-out double to center. With two outs, Matt Hague ripped a RBI single. In the top of the frame, Hague made a great defensive play at first that saved a run.
The Clippers tied the game with a run in the fourth, then with two outs in the eighth, they rallied to score three unearned runs on four hits off reliever Drew Rucinski.
Rochester shortstop Engelb Vielma leaped for a couple of balls, but they were just out of his reach and fell in four hits. After making a great picked on another ball, he bounced it past first baseman Hague as the final two runs crossed the plate.
“One of the best defensive shortstops I’ve ever had in my career made a couple of mistakes toady that you just don’t see,” Quade said. “We just couldn’t close it out. Two outs and nobody on in the eighth, you’ve got to close it out.”
The Wings loaded the bases in the sixth on two outs with two walks and a single, but Tommy Field hit into a fielder’s choice to end the threat.
“It’s been a battle to score runs,” said Quade. “A rain delay and a sloppy field, we should be used to that.”
Field was the only player to reach base after that on a walk in the ninth.
“(Daniel) Palka had a nice game,” Quade said. “A couple of hits. He’s been swinging the bat well since he came back (from a broken finger).
Despite the loss, Rochester (65-50) remained 2 games behind the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (67-48) for the International League’s wild card berth. Both teams have 27 games remaining, and they do NOT play each again this season.
*NOTES – In roster moves Monday, LHP Stephen Gonsalves and RHP Luke Bard were transferred to Rochester from Double-A Chattanoga while RHP D.J. Baxendale and OF Edgard Corcino were sent to the Looksouts earlier in the day…Rochester is batting .167 (19-for-114) with runners in scoring position in the last 15 games since July 23…The rain delay was the 22nd suffered by the Red Wings this season. Eleven games ended up being postpone as the Wings have played 11 double headers this year. In contrast, the Durham Bulls only have played one twinbill this season, and that was because their final game in Rochester was rained out and had to be made up in Durham.
Links
Rochester Red Wings – www.redwingsbaseball.com
Videos
Tim Melville interview – https://youtu.be/S-g-Ge5SbMU
Mike Quade interview – https://youtu.be/t6DwwrsvAk0