Rochester’s bullpen fails to hold the lead as the Mud Hens score 7 in the 8th.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Rochester Red Wings saw a 5-1 lead go by the boards against the Toledo Mud Hens on Friday night before 10,424 fans at Frontier Field. The Mud Hens rallied for a 9-5 win behind a 7-run 8th inning.
Starter Jason Wheeler left the game with a 5-2 lead after 6 innings, after escaping a bases-loaded situation without giving up a run in the first.
“After a tough start, he battled through things and settled down,” said Red Wings manager Mike Quade of Wheeler’s performance. “He did well.”
Reliever Marcus Walden faced just 4 batters in the 7th, but could not register an out in the 8th, giving up 2 singles and a walk to load the bases.
Sean Burnett came on next and was tagged for a RBI single, then former Red Wing John Hicks cleared the bases with a double. Hicks started the season with the Wings but was plucked off he waiver wire by the Detroit Tigers and plunked to Toledo.
With 1 out, Alex Wimmers came on and yielded 2 more runs on 3 hits.
The 7 runs is the most the Wings have given up in an inning this season as the Mud Hens amassed 7 hits in the rally, also the most the Wings have yielded in one frame.
“We’ll figure this out and piece it together,” Quade said. “It was a little surprising because Marcus was so good in the 7th, and he just seemed to lose it in the 8th.
“It was a tough assignment for Sean to come in with the bases loaded, and Wimmers the same way. I was a little concerned about him being a little rusty, having the baby and all.
The Red Wings took early command with 3 runs in the first inning. James Beresford led off with a single and Jorge Polanco followed with a 1-out double. Kennys Vargas plated both runners with his first triple of the season. Eddie Rosario then laced a hit to score Vargas with the third run.
The Mud Hens scored off Wheeler in the second, but Rosario blasted a solo homer in the fourth.
The Wings made it 5-1 in the fifth as John Ryan Murphy drew a 1-out walk, and scampered home on Beresford’s double.
Toledo smacked a solo home run in the sixth for the Mud Hens second marker.
The Red Wings answered with 2 runs in the 9th, on Logan Schafter’s bases-loaded, 2-out single and had the winning run at the plate, but Jorge Polanco popped out to end the game.
“Some good stuff offensively, and nice to battle back,” said Quade. “We had the winning run at the plate after a horrible 8th, so that’s a good thing.
“Rosario had a big night, made a hell-of-a play in the Bermuda Triangle out there. Pick ourselves up and get after them (Saturday).”
*NOTES – Friday’s paid attendance was a season-high 10,424….Fans helped raise $3,750 for the Alzheimer’s Association of Rochester & Finger Lakes Region with Friday’s jersey auction, and the sale of limited edition t-shirts…The Red Wings now have a 17-13 home record; their overall home record since 2012 of 188-130 is the best in the league…The Minnesota Twins announced on Friday that they have placed right-handed pitcher Phil Hughes and right-handed pitcher Trevor May on the 15-day disabled list. To replace Hughes and May on the 25-man roster, the Twins have returned from rehab assignment and reinstated right-handed pitcher Kyle Gibson from the 15-day disabled list and have recalled right-handed pitcher J.T. Chargois from Triple-A Rochester…Jorge Polanco has at least one hit in 23 of his last 25 games and is batting .465 (33-for-71) over that span…Rochester still holds first place in the IL North Division with a 35-27 record, 1 game ahead of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (34-28)…The Red Wings and Columbus Clippers are tied for the overall best record in the IL at 35-27.
Links
Rochester Red Wings – redwingsbaseball.com
Videos
Manager Mike Quade interview – https://youtu.be/g1cBzByLi24