Zander Wiel’s 2-run homer in the bottom of the 9th propels Rochester to a 6-5 victory over the IronPigs.
By Nick Sciarratta and Collin Hetherington
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Red Wings rallied in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 6-5 Sunday evening before 7,617 fans at Frontier Field.
Omar Bencomo got the start for Rochester after being recalled on Saturday from Double-A Chattanooga. The start was his second with the Wings this season after getting a start back on May 30 where he allowed one hit over 6.0 innings of work against Durham.
Lehigh Valley got to Bencomo quickly as they scored the opening run just two batters into the game. After being hit by a pitch to open the first inning, Dean Anna was able to score from first on a double from Collin Cowgill to give the IronPigs a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Joey Meneses singled home Cowgill to increase the lead to 2-0.
Bencomo worked out of potential trouble in both the first and second innings when he picked off 2 different IronPigs at first base.
Rochester tied the game in the second after exploding for 5 hits against pitcher Tom Eshelman, 4 of which were consecutive. After Kennys Vargas doubled to lead off the inning, a sacrifice fly from Zander Wiel brought him home to cut the IronPigs lead in half. Later in the inning with 2 out, Jeremy Hazelbaker pounded his seventh home run of the season that sailed over the left field fence to tie the game at 2-2.
Eshelman’s struggles continued in the third after Vargas hit his 21st home run of the season with Nick Gordon aboard to put Rochester ahead 4-2.
Bencomo retired 13 of 14 batters from the second to the sixth inning but Lehigh Valley disrupted his tempo with one out in the seventh. After allowing Andrew Knapp and Zach Green to reach base, a home run from Danny Ortiz allowed for the IronPigs to retake the lead at 5-4.
After taking the lead, Eshelman’s night was finished. He went 6.0 innings allowing 4 runs on 7 hits while walking 1 and striking out 7 hitters. He threw 94 pitches, 62 for strikes.
Nick Anderson came on for Bencomo to begin the eighth inning. The starter went 7.0 innings allowing 5 runs on 5 hits while walking 2 and striking out 6 batters. 65 of his 96 pitches were for strikes.
Anderson worked 2 innings, striking out 5 of the 6 batters he faced. Anderson has now struck out 88 in 60.0 innings pitched this season.
The Wings got a double from Jon Kemmer to put the tying run in scoring position to open the bottom of the ninth inning. Wiel clobbered the first pitch he saw from Edgar Garcia over the picnic tent in left field for the comeback win.
*NOTES — Red Wings right-handed relief pitcher John Curtiss sang the National Anthem prior to Sunday’s game against Lehigh Valley…Lehigh Valley third basemen Mitch Walding was ejected by home plate umpire Rich Grassa after arguing balls and strikes…The Red Wings conclude the series with Lehigh Valley Monday afternoon at 1:05 pm in the season finale of the 2018 season, with Fan Appreciation Day prizes all game long.