The Rochester 8-0 defeats insures a losing home record this season.
By Nick Sciarratta and Sean Clarke
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Charlotte Knights blanked the Rochester Red Wings, 8-0, Saturday night before 9,740 fans at Frontier Field.
The loss insured the Red Wings will suffer their first losing home season since 2011 when the team went 32-40.
Charlotte wasted no time jumping on Rochester starter Fernando Romero, grabbing an early lead when Matt Skole hit a 2-out RBI single in the top of the first, making the score 1-0 Knights.
The Wings got their first base runner in the bottom half of the first after Knights’ starter Michael Kopech hit Willians Astudillo. A 2-out single by Kennys Vargas moved Astudillo to third, giving the Wings a chance to tie the game. However, Kopech got LaMonte Wade to pop-up to left field to end the inning.
The Knights added to their lead in the third when Eloy Jimenez hit a 2-run homer off Romero. A few batters later, Trayce Thompson hit an infield single to score Jose Rondon, who had previously singled, making the score 4-0 Knights.
A double by Charlotte’s Ryan Cordell in the top of the fourth scored Eddy Alvarez who reached base on balls and advanced to second on a failed pick off attempt by Romero, making the Knights lead 5-0.
Skole hit a double to lead off the top of the fifth for the Knights and a subsequent double by Seby Zavala scored Skole to make the score 6-0. That ended Romero’s night after 4.0 innings pitched, plus two batters faced. Romero gave up 10 hits, allowing 7 runs, 6 of which were earned, walking 2 and striking 2 out on 98 pitches, 68 of which were strikes.
Ryne Harper took over on the mound for the Wings in the top of the fifth, immediately surrendering a single to Trayce Thompson that scored Zavala from second, making the score 7-0 Knights.
Aaron Bummer took the mound for the Knights in the bottom of the eighth, ending Kopech’s night after 7 innings pitched. In those seven innings, Kopech allowed only 5 hits, striking out 9 and hitting one batter, on 98 pitches and 68 strikes. Kopech leads the league with 161 strikeouts.
Harper allowed 2 hits and struck out 4 in 4.0 innings. Ryan Eades, just up from Double-A, pitched the ninth inning for the Red Wings.
Two singles and a walked batter loaded the bases for the Knights in the top of the ninth. An RBI single by Zavala scored Cordell, making Charlotte’s lead 8-0.
The Red Wings were out-hit by the Knights 15-5.
*NOTES — In a roster move Saturday, RHP Ryan Eades was transferred from Double-A Chattanooga…Gregorio Petit extended his hitting streak to 6 games with a seventh inning double…The homestand wraps up with a 1:05 pm game Sunday afternoon; it’s the second Wings of Hope event for suicide awareness and prevention, a Knot Hole Kids’ Club game, and kids can run the bases with Spikes and Mittsy after the game. Cinderella and her step-sisters will also make an appearance.