Rochester rallies to win Game 1 before the Bisons big 3rd inning prevails in the nightcap.
By Alex Morgan / Rochester Red Wings
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bisons and the Rochester Red Wings split a double-header Friday afternoon at Frontier Field. The Wings rallied to win the first game, 3-2, while the Bisons erupted for 8 runs in the third inning to capture the nightcap, 9-4.
The Bisons threatened the Wings early in game one, putting runners in scoring position in both the top of the 1st, and the top of the 2nd, but double plays in both innings helped Rochester escape with minimal damage. Buffalo did score one run in the 2nd, grabbing an early lead as Stevie Berman singled to left field, allowing Samad Taylor to score.
The Herd continued their momentum into the top of the 3rd, with Vinny Capra homering on the second pitch of his at-bat to lead off the inning, expanding the Buffalo lead to two runs. The Bisons failed to score again in the inning and leading off the bottom of the frame shortstop Luis Garcia homered over the right-field wall, cutting the Buffalo lead to one run.
Leading off the bottom of the 4th, Richard Urena launched a homer of his own, tying the game at two runs apiece. The Wings failed to score again in the inning, and the two teams ended the 4th in a tie, with three innings left to play in game one of the doubleheaders.
In the bottom of the 5th, the Red Wings put the pressure on, with Jake Noll being hit by a pitch with one out to give the club a baserunner. Noll stole second, putting a runner in scoring position for Rochester, but a strikeout gave the Wings only one out to work with. Nick Banks singled to left field, and Noll rounded third heading for home, but the throw from Mallex Smith was just in time to get the third out of the inning, and Buffalo and Rochester remained tied.
Tyler Clippard took over on the mound in the top of the 7th, and the right-hander blanked the Bisons, meaning the Red Wings would need to walk it off to win. With one out, Andrew Stevenson was hit by a pitch, giving the club the base runner, they needed. A deep-fly ball wasn’t enough from Luis Garcia, and Rochester was down to their final out. Noll stepped to the plate and delivered for the club, hitting a high pop-fly to shallow right field. Cullen Large darted for the ball and in a last-ditch effort dove for the ball, but his effort wasn’t enough, and Stevenson scored from first, winning the game for the Wings.
Luis Reyes started on the mound for the Wings in game one, pitching 4.2 innings before handing the ball over to Alberto Baldonado. Reyes allowed two earned runs on six hits and two walks, striking out three batters.
The Red Wings improved to 5-5 with the win in game one, but quickly change their focus to game two of the doubleheader, with Jefry Rodriguez starting on the mound for Rochester, and Shaun Anderson getting the start for Buffalo.
Game 2
In game two of the twin bill against Buffalo, the Red Wings gave the ball to right-handed pitcher Jefry Rodriguez for his second start of the season. Rodriguez would face off against Bisons RHP Shaun Anderson.
Not fazed by the Jake Noll’s walk off hit in the final inning of game one, the Bisons scored quickly in game two. In just the second inning, designated hitter Josh Fuentes drew a leadoff walk, advancing to second on a groundout by second baseman Samad Taylor. This set the table for right fielder Logan Warmoth, as he drove in Fuentes with a double over the head of Red Wings center fielder Matt Lipka.
The Bisons continued to hit in the third inning, allowing the first 8 batters of the inning to reach base, starting with a leadoff single by shortstop Eric Stamets, who would move to third following a double from left fielder Nathan Lukes. Stamets and Lukes would both score the very next batter, as catcher, Gabriel Moreno would blast a double into right field on a 1-0 pitch. With Moreno on second base, third baseman LJ Talley would hit a single, allowing Moreno to score. Fuentes then hit a ground ball back up the middle, which deflected off of starting pitcher Jefry Rodriguez’s foot, into the outfield. Talley would come home to score following a wild pitch. The next two Buffalo hitters would both reach via base-on-balls. Bisons Center fielder Mallex Smith capped off the scoring, hitting a 2-RBI single, for the seventh and eighth runs of the inning, extending the Bisons lead to 9-0.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, right fielder Nick banks, who reached on a single to lead off the inning, scored on a pass ball. Adrian Sanchez added his third RBI of the season, hitting a single that brought home third baseman Andrew Young.
In the bottom of the fifth, first baseman Jake Noll hit a double, his second of the game, and eighth of the season, scoring Luis Garcia who had a double of his own earlier in the inning. Nick Banks would reach base for the second inning in a row, hitting an RBI double to close the gap to 9-4
Jefry Rodriguez went two innings, taking the loss and giving up six earned runs on six hits and a walk. He was followed by RHP Sterling, LHP Ben Braymer, RHP Jordan Weems, LHP Sam Clay, and Carl Edwards Jr. combined for five innings pitched, giving up three runs on four hits, and seven walks, while striking out four Bisons hitters. After the third inning, the Wings relievers held Buffalo scoreless for the remainder of the game.
The Wings return to Frontier Field tomorrow for the fifth game of the series against Buffalo. Right-hander Jackson Tetreault takes the ball for the Wings, making his third start of the season facing off against Bisons LHP Nick Allgeyer. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.