For the second straight contest, Rochester outhits the IronPigs but loses the game.
By Nick Sciarratta and Devon Withers
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Lehigh Valley IronPigs used a pair of home runs to top the Rochester Red Wings, 6-2, Saturday night before 5,585 fans at Frontier Field.
The Red Wings got on the board in the bottom of the second, as IronPigs starter Enyel De Los Santos surrendered a solo home run to Chris Carter, giving Rochester an early 1-0 lead. It was Carter’s seventh homer since joining the Wings May 25.
Lehigh Valley retaliated in the top of the third, as Wings starter Aaron Slegers gave up a two-out walk to Dean Anna. The following batter, Collin Cowgill, hit an infield single which turned into a throwing error by Slegers that allowed both base runners to advance. The bases were then cleared through a 3-run home run by former Wing Trevor Plouffe that gave the IronPigs a 3-1 lead.
Rochester wasted no time cutting into their deficit in the bottom of the fourth, as LaMonte Wade led off the inning with a single. Two batters later, Zack Granite ripped a single down the third base line that allowed Wade to score from first, decreasing Lehigh Valley’s lead to 3-2.
In the top of the fifth, the IronPigs added onto their lead, as Plouffe started the inning off with a walk. After a ground rule double by Joey Meneses, a sacrifice fly by Matt McBride allowed Plouffe to score, giving Lehigh Valley a 4-2 lead.
Slegers worked 6 innings, allowing 4 hits and 4 earned runs with 3 walks. He struck out a season-high 8 batters, and threw 92 pitches – 57 for strikes. Gabriel Moya pitched the seventh and eighth innings, allowing 1 hit.
De Los Santos, who earned wins against the Wings in 2 starts earlier this season, allowed 7 hits, 2 earned runs, and 2 walks over 6.0 innings pitched Saturday. De Los Santos did not strike out a batter, and threw 96 pitches – 62 for strikes.
In the ninth, Red Wings reliever John Curtiss allowed a walk to Logan Moore, and the bases were then cleared on a 2-run home run from Damek Tomscha, giving the IronPigs a 6-2 lead.
Byron Buxton went 0-for-3 with a walk, and Jorge Polanco was 1-for-3 with a walk as part of their major league rehab assignments.
The series wraps up with a 1:05 pm game Sunday, another Knot Hole Kids’ Club game and kids can run the bases with Spikes and Mittsy after the game – plus a post-game helicopter candy drop as part of the Red Wings’ Halloween event.
*NOTES — In roster moves on Saturday, RHP Alan Busenitz was optioned by the Minnesota Twins; and LHP Adalberto Mejía was recalled by Minnesota…C/INF Willians Astudillo got a hit in his first big league at-bat Saturday, a single for the Twins against the Cubs at Wrigley Field…Twins RHP Ervin Santana pitched 3 innings for Class A Advanced Ft. Myers Saturday in a rehab start. Santana allowed 1 run on 2 hits.