Rochester notches first 3-game win streak of the season in the opener.
ALLENTOWN, PA. — Rochester scored eight runs in the 7th inning of game one and split a doubleheader with Lehigh Valley Saturday night at Coca-Cola Park.
The win in the first game marked the first three-game winning streak of the season for the Red Wings (13-22).
Game One
Both starting pitchers were dealing as Rochester’s Josh Rogers issued a leadoff walk in the 2nd frame for the only baserunner on either side in the first three innings. David Parkinson was perfect for the IronPigs.
That changed in the 4th inning as Gerardo Parra and Luis García drew back-to-back walks for the Wings. Jake Noll then hit a soft ground ball toward second baseman Ruben Tejada. García went backwards to avoid an easy double play and Noll was out at first base but after first baseman Darick Hall threw towards second base, Parra raced for home and just slid in under the tag to open the scoring.
Lehigh Valley’s best opportunity to score came in the 6th inning when a Tejada single put runners at first and second with one out. Rogers got Nick Maton to ground into a double play to end the threat, his 13th groundout of the game.
Rogers may have had an opportunity to finish the game but the Red Wings had the bases loaded and one out still only leading 1-0 when his spot came up in the 7th inning. Carter Kieboom drew a walk as a pinch hitter and Parra drew a walk of his own to push the lead to 3-0. The IronPigs made a pitching change and García greeted the new pitcher with a two-run double to bust the game open and Noll followed with a three-run home run to make it 8-0. Daniel Palka, playing in his first game in over a week, hit a solo homer later in the inning to cap the scoring at 9-0.
Rogers allowed three hits and a walk with one strikeout over 6.0 innings to earn his second win in as many starts since joining Rochester on June 4. Kyle Lobstein tossed a scoreless 7th for the Wings.
Game Two
The Red Wings couldn’t string together anything in the second game and fell 2-1.
Lehigh Valley used a one-out walk and two singles in the 1st inning to open the scoring against Ben Braymer. Braymer had not pitched for the Red Wings for two weeks. The IronPigs would add another in the 4th following a four-pitch walk to start the inning.
Rochester got on the board in the 6th after Noll doubled and scored on Humberto Arteaga’s single with two outs in the 6th.
The Red Wings had five hits in the second game, including two from Adrián Sanchez.