By CRAIG POTTER
Bengie Gonzalez caps the 3-run rally with the game-winning single to beat the Gwinnett Braves, 5-4.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Red Wings turned the tables on the Gwinnett Braves as as Bengie Gonzalez single in the bottom of the 9th inning drove in Niko Goodrum with the game-winning run in a 5-4 come-from-behind triumph on Thursday morning before 4,182 fans at Frontier Field.
“My teammates put me in a position to deliver and I was happy to be that guy,” Gonzalez said. “I was looking for a pitch over the middle…and took the best swing I can. I was just trying to see the ball over the plate with a pitch I could handle in that situation.
“Right now I’m not playing every day so I’m just trying to do first pitch and just swing.”
The Red Wings tied the game 2-2 on Matt Hague’s 2-run homer in the seventh over the left field fence.
The Braves had taken a 2-0 lead off Rochester starter Jason Wheeler on a 2-run homer by Sean Kazmar in the top of the 7th.
Wheeler started the eighth, but gave up a single and double to begin the frame. Wings manager Mike Quade replace him with Alan Busenitz. He retired Ozzie Albies on a line out to first baseman Ben Paulsen. A wild pitch then scored the go-ahead run. Mel Rojas Jr. then delivered a RBI single for a 4-2 Gwinnett lead. A fielder’s choice and a line drive back to Busenitz ended further damage.
The G-Braves brought on their fourth hurler of the game – David Peterson – to start the bottom of the ninth. The Wings touched him for 6 consecutive singles to pull out the victory.
Hague, Daniel Palka, Goodrum, Paulsen, who snapped a 0-15 streak with the hit, Murphy and Gonzalez recorded the hits to pull out the victory.
It turned out to be payback for a game last week in Gwinnett when the Wings scored a pair in the 9th to go in front, only to see the Braves rally in the home half to get the win.
*NOTES – Ehire Adrianza went 2-for-3 with a walk as part of his rehab assignment from the Minnesota Twins. He also played left field for the first time and had 3 putouts on fly balls.
Links
Rochester Red Wings – redwingsbaseball.com
Videos
John Ryan Murphy tying hit – https://youtu.be/e0zpXd4x1Og
Bengie Gonzalez game-winning hit – https://youtu.be/0glNSC9pI2c
Bengie Gonzalez interview – https://youtu.be/Tetn2XOr3s0
Matt Hague interview – https://youtu.be/iyzzJZrFFBw
Mike Quade interview – https://youtu.be/7AnfpMH4yBE