By CRAIG POTTER
Santiago pitches, Palka bats Rochester to 5-2 win over the IronPigs.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Rochester Red Wings waited out a 2-hour rain delay then went on to win a crucial game against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 5-2, on Thursday night before 4,923 fans at Frontier Field. The contest was the final regular season meeting between the two teams.
The Red Wings (63-47) now trail the IronPigs (67-44) by 3.5 games, with 32 games left in the season, for the International League’s wild card berth in the upcoming Governor’s Cup playoffs.
“We needed to get one back,” said Red Wings manager Mike Quade. “It would have been really devastating if we had been swept so we’re still in this thing.”
Hector Santiago (1-1) made his third rehab start for Rochester and turned in his best performance. He pitched 5.2 inning, giving up a solo homer while scattering 5 hits, walking 1, and striking out 9 batters to pick up the win.
“His first couple of outings were not so great,” Quade said of Santiago. “Admittedly, he was a little rusty. He’s rehabbing to get himself back and try and help the big club. His location and stuff, everything was better than we saw the last two starts.”
Santiago had to wait out the 2-hour rain delay but was sharp from the get-go as he retired the first five batters he faced. He gave up a single to former Red Wing Pedro Florimon, then picked him off first base.
Daniel Palka gave Santiago all the runs he needed with a 3-run homer over the left field fence in the third. Tommy Field (single) and J.B. Shuck (double) were on base.
“I’m a big fan of three-run home runs,” Quade said with a smile. “That fifth run, you can breathe a little easier as it can make things better.”
The IronPigs got their first run in the sixth on a home run by J.P. Crawford. Of the 73 homers the Red Wings have allowed this season, which is the fewest in the IL, 23 were hit by IronPigs.
The Wings responded with two runs in the home half. ByungHo Park led off with a single and Mitch Garver drew a walk. Niko Goodrum laced a RBI hit and Leonardo Reginatto followed with a one-out sacrifice fly.
Lehigh Valley pushed across one run in the eighth against reliever Michael Tonkin. The visitors from Allentown, PA., put two runners on base in the ninth against John Curtiss, but the reliever got out of difficulty with a fly out and ground out to end the game for his sixth save of the season.
*NOTES – The game started at 9:05 pm after a two-hour rain delay. It was the 20th time this season the Red Wings were part of either a rain delay or postponement…Fans with tickets to Thursday’s game can use them as a bonus rain check and may be exchanged for any remaining 2017 home game. All exchanges must be made in person at the Ticket Office…The Red Wings finished the season series 9-13 against Lehigh Valley, which is the most losses to one team for Rochester in a season since 2010…The Rochester pitching staff has allowed just 72 home runs this season, the fewest in the International League this year. The Red Wings have not surrendered the fewest homers in the IL since they gave up 77 in 1976…Rochester is batting .138 (10-for-74) with runners in scoring position in the last 10 games since July 23. The team his just .138 (8-for-58) with RISP on the recent 7-game road trip to Indianapolis and Toledo…The Red Wings play a double header to begin a 4-game weekend series against the Chiefs Friday in Syracuse.
Links
Rochester Red Wings – www.redwingsbaseball.com
Videos
Mike Quade interview – https://youtu.be/fNQaVl8hgtY