By CRAIG POTTER
Tim Melville hurls 8 scoreless innings of 4-hit ball in gaining the win.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Rochester Red Wings hurler Tim Melville threw one of his best games of the season as he limited the Toledo Mud Hens to 4 hits over 8 innings en route to a 2-0 victory on Friday night before a paid crowd of 11,221 at Frontier Field.
“I was keeping the ball in the strike zone and the guys were making the play,” Melville said. “I got in the zone early.”
“Two out of his last three outings have really been good,” said Red Wings manager Mike Quade. “He was a huge pickup for us. His fastball command was excellent. His curveball was great and the slider he used effectively.
“We scratched for a couple of runs. A ho-hum two-nothing win. Their guy pitched really well, also.”
Alan Busenitz pitched the ninth to earn his second save of the season.
Melville (3-3) and Mud Hens hurler Myles Jaye were locked in a pitcher’s duel through 4 innings before the Red Wings pushed across a run in the fifth. Consecutive singles by ByungHo Park, Tommy Field, and Edgar Corcino produced one run.
In the sixth, Mitch Garver and Niko Goodrum ripped one-out singles with Garver advancing to third. He came home when Kennys Vargas grounded out.
Melville worked out of trouble in the top of the sixth when he gave up consecutive singles to start the inning. However, he got fly outs to left and right sandwiched around a strike, to escape the threat.
“Stick to the game plan, trust your catcher and trust your stuff,” Melville said.
The Rochester defense also came up with some good plays by shortstop Engelb Vielma, leftfielder Garver, and centerfielder J.B. Shuck that took away potential hits by the Mud Hens.
*NOTES – The series continues Saturday at 6:05 pm. POST-GAME RODNEY ATKINS CONCERT: Country music star Rodney Atkins will perform post-game, courtesy of 92.5 WBEE, Cycle Stop, McDonalds, and the U.S. Army. Only a Red Wings game ticket is needed attend the post-game concert. The 2006 Academy of Country Music Top New Male Vocalist has put together six Billboard chart-toppers including “If You’re Going Through Hell”, “Watching You”, “These Are My People”, “It’s America”, “Cleaning This Gun” and “Take A Back Road”. “Farmer’s Daughter” was also a top five Billboard hit in 2010…MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT: The Red Wings will honor the brave men and women who serve our country on Saturday night with specialty jerseys presented by Bausch & Nickerson LLP that will be auctioned off to benefit the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund…POST-GAME FIREWORKS will take place after the Rodney Atkins Concert presented by ESL Federal Credit Union…The Red Wings pitching staff came into play Friday with a league best 3.24 ERA, and a 2.52 ERA in July. The Wings have not led the league in ERA since 1976 (3.51).
Links
Rochester Red Wings – www.redwingsbaseball.com
Videos
Tim Melville interview — https://youtu.be/P07qjr_P8rw
Mike Quade interview – https://youtu.be/MRZFtZyuzhk