The Norfolk Tides hold off Rochester for a 5-3 triumph.
By CRAIG POTTER
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Red Wings continue to look for their offense to come alive as the Norfolk Tides extended the Wings’ losing streak to 6 games with a 5-3 victory on Saturday night before 11,024 fans at Frontier Field.
The Tides scored 3 times in the first inning off Rochester starter Fernando Romero, who then settled down to pitch a strong game.
“The first inning I’m sure he’d want back just from a standpoint of his first 10 pitches or so,” said Red Wings manager Joel Skinner. “Then he really settled in and threw the ball well.”
Romero set down 10 straight from the end of the first through the end of the fourth.
“That was beautiful,” said catcher Jordan Pacheco. “That’s the pitcher he is.
“Once he got rolling, he did what he does. He threw his change up really well tonight. He was throwing his fastball in. Everything was working for him. We just had one rough first and that decided the game obviously.”
Romero went 7.2 innings, giving up 5 runs on 7 hits, walking 3, and striking out 3 hitters.
“It’s getting your release point where you want it, all the different things that go into starting a ball game,” said Skinner. “He was able to find it and keep it for a long time.
“He really got into a groove after the first inning from a standpoint of just getting his rhythm and getting to the plate and getting everything going in the right direction.”
The Wings finally broke through for 3 runs in the eighth inning against Norfolk reliever Tim Melville. Jon Kemmer and Jordan Pacheco both singled. Jeremy Hazelbaker grounded out to second, but Pacheco was caught in a rundown between first and second. He returned safely to first when the Tides’ shortstop dropped the ball. Gregorio Petit and Nick Gordon each delivered RBI hits. Petit accounted for the third run when Miguel Sano grounded out. With Gordon on third, that brought the tying run to the plate in Kennys Vargas. However, he followed the statistical oddity by striking out as the Wings’ third out in innings 2-9 were all via strikeout.
“Their pitcher was hitting his spots and keeping the ball out of the middle of the plate and keeping it on the edges,” Skinner said. “When you do that, sometimes that’s the way it goes.”
The series and homestand conclude Sunday with a 1:05 pm start.
*NOTES — Entering Saturday’s action, Rochester was tied for second in the International League with a 3.40 ERA after surrendering 28 earned runs in 5 games this homestand. That number has risen from a league-best 3.28 on June 26. The Red Wings have thrown 8 shutouts and allowed 3 or fewer runs in 50 of 95 games…The Red Wings are a league-worst 16-30 at home this season and would need to go 19-5 over the remaining 24 home games to finish .500. Rochester has not had a losing home record since 2011 (32-40).