Rochester wins 9-2, then 7-6 in 10 innings over the RailRiders.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Red Wings continued their dominance over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barres RailRiders on Saturday with a doubleheader sweep at Frontier Field.
Game 1
The Red Wings pounded the Scranton/WB RailRiders, 9-2, in the first game.
First baseman Joey Meneses got the Wings (16-12) on the board first, launching a solo shot into the wind and over the left-field fence to give the Wings an early lead. Since the series opener in Lehigh Valley (April 19), Meneses leads the Wings in batting average (.377, 20-for-53), hits (20), RBI (14), total bases (38), slugging percentage (.717), doubles (6) and home runs (5).
The Red Wings outfield combined for six of the team’s nine hits, with right fielder Josh Palacios, left fielder Andrew Stevenson, and center fielder Cole Freeman each finishing the game with two knocks.
Cole Freeman delivered the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fourth, hitting a two-run double down the right-field line to put Rochester ahead, 5-2. The righty has just five hits on the year, four of which have gone for extra bases, with three doubles and a triple.
Continuing with the theme this season, the Red Wings bullpen has been lockdown in relief of Rochester’s starting staff. LHP Carson Teel, LHP Sam Clay, and RHP Carl Edwards Jr. combined to go hitless in the final four innings, allowing no walks and striking out six. Edwards Jr. has now thrown 10.2 scoreless innings in a row, the longest scoreless innings streak for the Red Wings this season.
Game 2
Multiple lead changes and back and forth action was the story in game two of the doubleheader as the Red Wings battled to walk-off the RailRiders, 7-6, in extra innings to earn the doubleheader sweep.
Following a sacrifice bunt by shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez that moved the runner on second over to third, left fielder Josh Palacios came up big for the Red Wings hitting a walk-off single through the infield to secure the series win for the Red Wings.
A big fifth inning from the Red Wings (17-12) helped them climb back into the game after being down 5-2 to start the inning. The Red Wings scored three runs on four hits, and two walks, taking advantage of bases loaded as Tres Barrera smacked a two-RBI single to tie the game.
Just like in game one, Meneses contributed to the Red Wings’ first run of the game, continuing his hot hitting with an RBI single in the third inning to tie up the ball game at one run apiece. The Wings would score again in the second inning when second baseman Richard Urena showed off his hustle and beat out what would have been an inning-ending double play.
The Red Wings bullpen once again worked a solid outing, combining to pitch 5 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on four hits, while striking out five hitters
The Red Wings and RailRiders meet on Sunday for one final game at Frontier Field. Red Wings RHP Jefry Rodriguez (1-1, 5.89) will take on RHP Hayden Wesneski (0-3, 2.83) with the first pitch at 1:05.