The Clippers score 5 runs in the 8th to pull out a 9-8 win over Rochester.
By Rochester Red Wings
COLUMBUS, OHIO — After a Brent Rooker two-run homer in the fifth inning made it 8-2, the Rochester Red Wings seemed well on their way to a fifth straight victory.
But, the Columbus Clippers scored two in the sixth and five in the eighth to storm back and steal the opener, 9-8, Tuesday night at Huntington Park.
The Clippers tied the game on an Adam Rosales two-run homer in the eighth inning. In 20 games with the Wings this season, Rosales hit zero home runs. The eighth inning homer off Preston Guilmet was his fifth in 23 games with the Clippers.
Two batters later Daniel Johnson doubled home the eventual winning run.
The Wings (32-35) were 28-0 this season when leading after seven innings.
The top four hitters in the Wings lineup – Nick Gordon, Willians Astudillo, LaMonte Wade Jr and Rooker went a combined 9-for-16 with six RBI and six runs scored to pace the offensive attack.
After a Zander Wiel homer in the third inning, the Red Wings led 6-0.
Lewis Thorpe made the start for the Wings and went 4+ innings, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks. He struck out three over his 77-pitch outing.
Ian Krol made his Red Wings debut tossing a 1-2-3 seventh inning and being signed earlier in the day.
The Wings look to bounce back on Wednesday in Game Two of the 3-game series. Sean Poppen (4-0, 1.55 ERA) will make the start for Rochester.
Cliburn named IL All-Star pitching coach
Rochester Red Wings Pitching Coach Stu Cliburn has been named to the same role for the International League in the 2019 Triple-A All-Star Game, the league office announced Monday.
Cliburn, who is in his fourth straight season with the Red Wings and seventh overall with the team, will be making his sixth career All-Star appearance and second in the IL. He was also the pitching coach for the IL squad in 2016. Since Cliburn took over as pitching coach in 2016, Rochester has the second-best earned run average in the league over that period. He helped the 2018 pitching staff lead the league in ERA, the first Wings team to do so since 1976.
The 2019 Ronald McDonald House Charities Triple-A All-Star Game will take place on Wednesday, July 10 at 9:05 pm ET. The 32nd annual contest will take place at Southwest University Park in El Paso, TX and will be broadcast live on MLB Network.
*NOTES — The Minnesota Twins have announced the following roster moves: CHANGE: RHP Trevor Hildenberger placed on the Injured List with a right flexor mass strain, retroactive to June 15; ADD: LHP Ian Krol signed a minor league contract and assigned to Rochester, and OF Jimmy Kerrigan transferred from Double-A Pensacola to Rochester; DELETE: OF Jake Cave was recalled by Minnesota.