Rochester is a game out of the 4-way tie for first place.
By Nick Grasso / Rochester Red Wings
ALLENTOWN, PA. — The Rochester Red Wings bounced back in their Wednesday evening game by shutting out the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 4-0. After losing the first game of the series, Rochester has evened it up at one game apiece.
The victory moved the Wings to within 1 game of the IL East Division lead as Durham, Jacksonville, Lehigh Valley, and Worcester all are tied for first place with identical 43-37 records. Rochester is a game behind at 42-38.
RHP Cade Cavalli got the start and turned in a stellar performance, giving up just two hits and striking out seven batters while holding the IronPigs scoreless. He didn’t give up a hit until the sixth inning, and his seven strikeouts tied his second most of the season. The Washington Nationals’ top prospect improved on his excellent last start against the IronPigs (5/27) when he gave up a hit and a run through five innings.
Cavalli went seven strong on Thursday, tying his longest 2022 outing. He pitched for seven innings on June 4 against Buffalo and May 28 at Syracuse.
2B Jake Noll had an electric outing, getting the scoring started for Rochester by hitting his seventh home run of the year in the second. The homer was Noll’s first since June 22 against Syracuse, and it extended his hitting streak to six straight games. Noll continued to torch the IronPigs at the plate with a third inning RBI double that scored 1B Joey Meneses and C Riley Adams and gave the Wings a 3-0 lead. Noll now has the most doubles of any player in Triple-A baseball with 22 on the year.
Meneses added to the lead in the seventh with an RBI single that brought CF Matt Lipka home, as Rochester took a 4-0 lead. Meneses went 4-for-4 at the plate and now ranks third in the International League in total hits with 87 this season.
RHP Hunter Harvey, on rehab assignment from the Nationals, took the mound for the first time as a Wing and gave up a pair of hits while striking out one batter. LHP Alberto Baldonado closed it out in the bottom of the ninth, as Rochester allowed just five hits all game.
The win marks Rochester’s seventh shutout of the season and bumps them into fifth place in the IL East, so long as Buffalo loses its Wednesday evening match. A win by the Bisons will tie them with the Wings and put 6 teams all within 1 game of the lead.
The Wings will aim to keep the momentum going in Thursday’s 7:05 p.m. matchup at Lehigh Valley. RHP Cory Abbott will toe the rubber.