By CRAIG POTTER
Rochester extends its winning streak to 6 games with a 3-1 victory over the Bisons.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Red Wings extended their winning streak to 6 games as they completed a sweep of the Buffalo Bisons, 3-1, on Wednesday afternoon before a paid crowd of 5,090 at Frontier Field.
Two Minnesota Twins pitchers began rehab assignments for the Red Wings in this game. Hector Santiago started the game and threw three innings. He allowed no hits and no runs, walked two batters and struck out two batters.
“Today I had one of the better days of putting it all together,” said Santiago, who added that the plan was for him to hopefully pitch in Boston on Monday.
“I have to make a phone call and talk to the trainer, so we’ll find out today.”
Kam Mickolio pitched in relief of Santana, but was pulled in the middle of his second batter faced after an injury ended his outing after just 0.1 innings of work.
“It was a little shoulder tightness,” said Red Wings manager Mike Quade of the injury. “He says he feels okay, so we’ll see about that.”
Mason Melotakis was then called on to take the mound and finished the top of the fourth for Rochester.
The Red Wings broke the scoreless tie first with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Mitch Garver delivered his sixth home run of the year with a solo shot over the right-center field fence. The homer also pushed Garver’s hitting streak to six games, his longest streak of the season.
“It was a full count fastball up and away,” Garver said of his round-tripper. “I got something I could drive, so I’m pretty happy about that.”
With two outs in the frame, Niko Goodrum hit a ball deep to right field, where it bounced off Shane Optiz’s glove and over the wall for a solo home run, his seventh of the season, for a 2-0 advantage.
Also making his first rehab assignment with Rochester was Phil Hughes, who came on to pitch the top of the fifth. Hughes allowed just a walk as he faced four batters.
“I wasn’t really sure how I was going to feel,” Hughes said. “I’ve been off close to a month. I felt pretty good in the pen warming up,and then it was just trying to feel my way…Overall I felt I accomplished what I wanted to do.”
Quade added, “He’ll take two days off then we’ll pitch him back-to-back then see what (the Twins) want to do.”
In the bottom of the fifth, Zack Granite belted his second home run of the season over the right field fence. With the hit, Granite extended hi current on-base streak to 20 consecutive games since June 1.
D.J. Baxendale pitched 2.1 innings in relief, allowing just two hits, the first hits for the Bisons in the game.
Trevor Hildenberger took over for Baxendale with one out in the eighth inning, with one out and a runner at first. Hildenberger walked the first batter he faced, struck out the next batter, and gave up a bloop hit that scored a run as Buffalo cut the deficit to 3-1. But Hildenberger struck out the next hitter to end the threat.
In the ninth inning, Hildenberger retired the side in order to post his sixth save in seven attempts. Melotakis was credited with the win, his first Triple-A victory.
Garver stated that this was not the first time he had caught 6 pitchers in one game.
“On a day when we had all of that going on (6 pitchers), I’ve got a 10-man bullpen. What a manager,” Quade said with a laugh. “As many pitchers as we used we could have played 17 innings.”
Wings look for 1st win vs ‘Pigs
Rochester (35-33) currently has the longest winning streak (6 games) in the International League as they welcome the team with the best record in the IL, Lehigh Valley (48-24) in for a 4-game series starting Thursday at 7:05 pm. The Wings are 1-6 thus far against the IronPigs (Phillies) this season, who come in on a 5-game winning streak.
“We’ve got our work cut out for us,” Quade said. “Everybody knows they’re a wonderful club. I’m anxious to see how it plays out. We’re playing much better than we were a week or so ago. We’re going to need to be at the top of our game.
“To me this is great fun and excitement.”
*NOTES – INF Matt Hague had the day off, and will bring a nine-game hitting streak into his next game…J.B. Shuck was 1-for-4, ending a three-game multiple hit streak…Red Wings manager Mike Quade rested Matt Hague and Engelb Vielma on Wednesday with Lehigh Valley coming in for a 4-game series starting Thursday night…Former Detroit Tigers star Jack Morris will be signing autographs before Thursday’s game against Lehigh Valley, with fireworks after the game.
Links
Rochester Red Wings – redwingsbaseball.com
Videos
Hector Santiago interview – https://youtu.be/ua4VN-AF3u0
Phil Hughes interview – https://youtu.be/SdTWriRDjH4
Mitch Garver interview – https://youtu.be/Z6ePPuqn4UE
Mike Quade interview – https://youtu.be/XKCzb5GW4jQ