By CRAIG POTTER
Leonardo Reginatto drives in both runs as Rochester wins the suspended and regularly scheduled games.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Red Wings took two games from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, 5-4 and 1-0, on Wednesday night at Frontier Field.
Leonardo Reginatto accounted for both winning runs of the suspended twinbill.
“That is something against the best team in the league, and for Reggie to be the guy in both games; he hasn’t hit a lot of homers (3),” said Red Wings manager Mike Quade. “The double in Game 1 was a home run in most ballparks…I don’t know the numbers, but he’s gotten a lot of big hits for us.”
Reginatto belted a double into the Bermuda Triangle in the suspended game for the winning hit in the eighth inning.
“I’m glad that ball fell in for a score. I wasn’t trying for a home run,” Reginatto said.
In the completion of the suspended game, Drew Rucinski took to the mound for the Wings in the top of the fourth with runners on first and third and one out. He struck out New York Yankee Starlin Castro, who is at SWB on rehab, then got pinch-hitter Donovan Solano for another Yankee on rehab, Greg Bird, to fly out to center field to end the threat.
Rucinski returned to his previous form as he pitched 3.1 innings, striking out 5, walking 1, and giving up just 1 hit.
“He hadn’t been as sharp as he was for his 23 scoreless, but sometimes a little extra rest is helpful,” Quade said of Rucinski’s performance. “He was excellent.
“You beat this club two games and it’s obviously about the pitching and the one gentleman who drove in the runs.”
Buddy Boshers pitched one-third of an inning and Alex Wimmers hurled the final 2 innings of scoreless ball to gain the win.
In the bottom of the eighth, J.B. Shuck led off with a double to left-center. With two outs, Reginatto lined a double to left-center to score Shuck with the go-ahead run.
Wimmers yielded a leadoff single to Castro in the ninth, but then retired the next three batters on a pair of fly outs and a foul out to catcher Anthony Recker, as he and third baseman Reginatto collided on the catch, to end the game.
In the 7-inning nightcap, Reginatto accounted for the lone run with a walkoff homer in the bottom of the seventh.
“He (Ben Heller) threw me a first fastball low…so I was just trying to find something in the upper zone to be able to drive,” Reginatto said.
Reginatto had a walk-off homer in Double-A before, but this was his first in Triple-A.
“It’s always a good feeling,” Reginatto said. “This year is special because we’re fighting for a playoff.
Earlier this season he had a bases-loaded single to win a game in extra innings at Frontier Field on Batman Night.
Felix Jorge made his Triple-A debut for Rochester. He started the season at Double-A Chattanooga before being called up to the Minnesota Twins. He later was sent back to Double-A before his callup to the Red Wings.
Jorge hurled 6 scoreless innings, giving up 5 hits, walking one, and striking out 7 batters.
“We had great pitching,” Quade said. “Felix comes up and does a great job. He has a really bright future. He’s fundamentally sound, very aware, picked a guy off and started a double play.”
In the second inning, after Billy McKinney got a leadoff single, Jorge picked him off first. That proved to be critical as after Irondequoit native Cito Culver drew a walk, Mark Payton ripped a hit into the right field corner. The ball rolled under the fence for a ground rule double, which saved Culver from scoring, and definitely would have scored McKinney had he not been picked off.
Jorge also helped himself out in the third as he started an inning-ending double play.
Michael Tonkin struck out the side in the seventh before Reginatto blasted a 2-out homer over the left field fence.
“The bullpen was excellent, and by the way, (Zack) Granite is going to the big leagues,” Quade said. “
The double victories, combined with Lehigh Valley’s 5-4 loss to Syracuse, extended the Red Wings lead over the IronPigs for 4 games in the chase for the International League’s wild card berth. Both teams have 12 games remaining.
The Wings also moved to within 5.5 games of SWB for first place in the North Division. The RailRiders have 13 games left to play, and lead the season series, 7-6, over the Red Wings. The teams have 5 games left with the final one at Frontier Field on Thursday afternoon, and 4 games in Moosic, PA., next Monday thru Thursday.
*NOTES – The start of the suspended game was delayed an hour and 40 minutes due to rain. It was delayed a total of 2 hours, 28 minutes over the two days…In roster moves, LHP Nik Turley was returned to Rochester (26th man for doubleheader); RHP Felix Jorge was transferred from Double-A Chattanooga; and RHP John Curtiss had his contract selected by the Minnesota Twins…Jonathan Diaz’s home run was his first of the season in Triple-A for SWB, and his first since his initial game for Double-A New Hampshire (Toronto Blue Jays) on April 9 versus Binghamton… SWB’s Mark Payton’s round-tripper was his sixth of the year and his first since he went deep twice at Pawtucket July 2…Irondequoit native Cito Culver did not play for SWB in the suspended game. He did played shortstop and batted 6th in the regularly scheduled game, going 0-for-2 with a walk…The NY Yankees two rehabbing players: Greg Bird went 0-for-1 in the game with a sac fly as the designated hitter in the suspended game and Starlin Castro was 1-for-2 with a run scored in the contest.
Links
Rochester Red Wings – www.redwingsbaseball.com
Videos
Leonardo Reginatto’s HR – https://youtu.be/dG5X3yfOtwE
Leonardo Reginatto interview – https://youtu.be/3_DndU0rx0w
Mike Quade interview – https://youtu.be/dGEaksqa4AY