Rochester breaks the tie game with 4 runs in the eighth inning to beat the Chiefs, 8-4.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Rochester Red Wings pulled to within 2 games of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs for the International League’s wild card berth with an 8-4 victory over the Syracuse Chiefs on Sunday afternoon before 5,241 fans at NBT Bank Stadium.
Lehigh Valley (67-47) fell to the Buffalo Bisons, 1-0, to see the IronPigs lead fall to 2 games over Rochester (65-49) with 28 games remaining for both teams.
The Red Wings grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first when Zack Granite belted a leadoff homer. Daniel Palka followed with a single and eventually scored on a groundout.
Rochester made it 3-0 in the third on a solo blast by Kennys Vargas.
The Chiefs tied the game 3-3 in the third when Brandon Snyder smacked a three-run homer.
After the teams traded runs, the Red Wings took the lead for good with four runs in the eighth inning. Anthony Recker laced a two-run single, for the game-winning hit, in the four-run rally.
Rochester reliever Alex Wimmers (3-3) got the win with two innings of scoreless pitching. Aaron Slegers started the game for the Wings.
*NOTES — Leonardo Reginatto reached base four times for Rochester…Rochester improved its league-leading mark to 50-12 when scoring the first run of the game…The Red Wings open a 7-game homestand on Monday at 7:05 pm with their first series this season against the Columbus Clippers.