By CRAIG POTTER
The Syracuse Chiefs double-up Rochester, 4-2, before the largest crowd thus far this season.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — For a third game since last season, the Rochester Red Wings paid tribute to the local “Garbage Plate” food dish by wearing their special Rochester Plates uniform on Thursday before 8,782 fans at Frontier Field.
And for the third time the “Plates” failed to come up with a victory as the Syracuse Chiefs overcame their first-inning ineffectiveness of late with a run en route to a 4-2 victory. The Chiefs entered the game being outscored 26-0 by their opponents in the first inning since May 3.
The Chiefs managed a run of Rochester starter Trevor May, who is on a rehab assignment from the Minnesota Twins since having “Tommy John” surgery on March 22, 2017. This was just his second start as he threw 58 pitches for Class A Ft. Myers on May 12.
“Felt good to be back out on a mound with fans and a game that kind of meant something,” said May. “It was a good first step. Physically I feel really good with where I’m at and how it went… overall, I think it was a step in the right direction.”
May is slated to start next Tuesday at Lehigh Valley, and Sunday, May 27 at home against the Buffalo Bisons. He will be reassessed at that point to determine when he will return to the Twins.
“He’s been throwing the ball in Florida, so this was just one more step in his program to build up his pitch count… it’s all part of the process, his program on returning to pitch,” said Rochester manager Joel Skinner. “It was good from that standpoint.”
May said he is working with “about five and a half pitches right now.” He acknowledged that the sinker, or two-seam, was located much better than Saturday’s appearance, while the slider was a “little bit better.” He felt his curveball, which he tore his Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) throwing, was located well but isn’t one of his strikeout pitches yet.
May was encouraged by his ability to pitch without feeling any physical effects of the surgery.
“It’s just remembering that you’ve gotta go out there and compete, something that you kind of lose a little bit,” he said. “Especially when your schedule changes, you’re not at the field like you usually are, it’s not the grind the same way. You’re in and out getting rehab, not usually with the team; I was in Florida for a long time. Getting back in the swing of being a competitor and wanting to win, getting back and being a baseball player again is probably the hardest part. And I think I’ve known that since the beginning… it’s all becoming natural again.”
After a 60-pitch maximum last Saturday, he thought the number was 75 and was prepared for the fifth inning before being informed his day was over.
“I threw 60 last time so I didn’t know we were doing it twice, for whatever reason; I think they told me that before. So I came in and I was all ready for the fifth inning and that helped, to be honest. It’s not really in your head too much; when you get higher (in pitches) it just feels the same as having no real pitch count.
“So same thing, just trying to compete and throw the ball where you want it.”
As happens all too frequently, the Chiefs were able to convert a walk into a run. Former Red Wing Matt Hague doubled home Yadiel Hernaandez with the first run of the game.
The Wings, who used a pair of big first-run innings the two previous games, threatened but were unable to score in the home half. Kennys Vargas grounded into an inning-ending double play with Ryan Lamarre at third.
May blanked the Chiefs over the next 4 innings as he threw 60 pitches, giving up 3 hits, walking 2, and striking out 5 hitters.
The visitors from the Salt City added 2 runs in the 7th off reliever Zach Littell. Bengie Gonzalez ripped a 1-out single. Hunter Jones laced a double into the right field corner. Jake Cave’s relay went to second baseman Sean Miller. Gonzalez rounded third but then stopped. Instead of throwing to home plate, Miller fired the ball to third baseman Jermaine Curtiss as Gonzalez then broke for home and crossed the plate safely. Hunter scurried home on Rafael Bautista’s RBI single for a 3-0 advantage.
Rochester answered in the bottom of the frame with a pair of runs. Curtis opened the inning with a single. Brock Stassi smacked the ball to right-center where Syracuse rightfielder Hunter and centerfielder Bautista both converged on it. Hunter made an outreached dive to his right at the same time that Bautista ran into him, falling over his legs and landing hard on the warning track. Bautista remained down. Hunter retrieved the ball and threw it in, then collasped on the ground.
Curtiss and Stassi ended up and third and second, respectively. The game was halted 9 minutes as Bautista was removed from the field on a stretcher. Hunter was able to remain in the game.
Willians Astudillo ripped a double to right-center to cut the margin to 3-2. He advanced to third on a sacrifice, but was left stranded.
*NOTES — RHP Trevor May had rehab assignment transferred from Single-A Ft. Myers…The Red Wings open a 3-game series on Friday against the Pawtucket Red Sox where Boston star Dustin Pedroia is there on a rehab assignment.
Links
Rochester Red Wings – redwingsbaseball.com