The Buffalo Bisons and Syracuse keep pace with first-place SWB.
By Nick Sciarratta and Ben Blakely / Rochester Red Wings
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Red Wings dropped a 7-4 decision to the Buffalo Bisons Wednesday night at Frontier Field. The loss drops the Wings further back in the IL North, now 2 games back of third-place Buffalo and 4 games behind first place Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Syracuse is in second place, 1 game behind SWB.
Red Wings starter Charlie Barnes made quick work of the Bisons with a 1-2-3 top of the first inning including two strikeouts. Buffalo broke through for one run in the top of the second on a solo home run by Patrick Kivlehan, giving the Bisons a 1-0 lead.
Rochester’s offensive attack failed to match Buffalo’s run as Bisons starter Anthony Kay struck out the side in the bottom of the second.
The Wings gained their first hit in the bottom of the third on a two-out single by Drew Maggi. Rochester did not capitalize, as Willians Astudillo popped out to shallow left field on a 3-0 pitch to end the inning.
Barnes ran into a jam in the top of the fourth. After setting down the first two batters of the inning, Barnes gave up back-to-back walks, putting a runner in scoring position. With two outs, Santiago Espinal hit a groundball to Maggi at third, which took a rough hop to pop out of his glove. Maggi recovered and reached for the third base bag, but came up a couple inches short of the left corner of the bag, loading the bases. In such a pressure-packed situation, Barnes stayed composed, recording a groundout to Wynston Sawyer at first, who flipped to a charging Barnes covering first to keep the score 1-0.
The Wings had a prime offensive opportunity in the bottom of the fourth. Brandon Barnes smoked a two-out double down the left field line and Zander Wiel worked a 3-2 walk. With Sawyer in the box, a double-steal was called, as Maggi and Wiel looked to advance. Bison catcher Michael De La Cruz threw to third right on time when Maggi slid head first into third. Maggi was able to sneak his hand in for the successful double-steal. The momentum was lost after the steal as Sawyer struck out looking to end the inning.
The Bisons offense grabbed the momentum back in the top of the fifth, chasing Charlie Barnes from the game on three consecutive singles that scored two runs, making the score 3-0. With one out, Cody Stashak came in for Rochester on the mound and allowed one more run to cross the plate, extending Buffalo’s lead 4-0.
Barnes gave up seven hits and three earned runs over 4.1 innings pitched, walking two and striking out four. He threw 85 pitches, 55 for strikes. The outing was Barnes’ third start in a Red Wings uniform since his call-up from Double-A Pensacola.
Rochester made its second call to the bullpen of the evening, bringing in Brusdar Graterol, who made his Triple-A debut. Stashak shut down the Bisons out of the bullpen with 1.2 innings of shutout relief including three strikeouts.
Buffalo made a pitching change before the bottom of the seventh, bringing in Zach Jackson. Kay pitched 6.0 scoreless innings with three walks and six strikeouts. He threw 91 pitches, 53 for strikes.
Graterol had a great top of the eighth for Rochester. After walking Socrates Brito to begin the inning, Graterol recorded a strikeout, groundout, and a putout at the plate after Brito was thrown out on perfect throw from Sawyer to Astudillo, who applied the tag with ease to keep the score 4-0.
The Wings offense finally broke through in the bottom of the eighth. Maggi led the inning off with a walk and after two consecutive outs, the rally looked lost. Wilin Rosario had other plans with his 22nd double of the year to plate Maggi, 4-1. Brandon Barnes walked to put runners on first and second, and Wiel followed the walk with a two-RBI double that cut Buffalo’s lead to one, 4-3.
Preston Guilmet came in for Graterol in the top of the ninth. Graterol worked two scoreless, hitless relief innings with a walk and two strikeouts. The Bisons quickly got to Guilmet, posting three runs to move ahead 7-3.
Astudillo’s RBI hit with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning plated Ivan DeJesus, Jr. to make the score 7-4.
*NOTES — The series and homestand wraps up with a 7:05 pm game Thursday night. It’s the final Rochester Plates game of the season, plus a t-shirt giveaway, post-game fireworks, and the conclusion of our first Food Week with unique food specials…C Willians Astudillo had his rehab assignment transferred to Rochester from Double-A Penscola Wednesday…RHP Zack Littell is active after being optioned by Minnesota and LHP Jeremy Bleich was placed on the Injured List with a right hamstring strain. Double-A Pitching Coach Cibney Bello has joined the Wings staff.