By CRAIG POTTER
Rochester brings the tying run to the plate in the 9th but cannot cash in.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – After staging a ninth-inning rally on Wednesday night to pull out a 7-6 win over the Charlotte Knights, the Rochester Red Wings were unable to duplicate that feat as they fell to the Toledo Mud Hens, 6-3, in the first of their 4-game series on Thursday night before a paid crowd of 5,097 fans at Frontier Field.
“We were playing so well. Good finish, we gave ourselves a chance but we really weren’t very sharp in many facets of the game,” said Red Wings manager Mike Quade. “We had a lot of trouble solving their left-hander (Anthony Vazquez), who had a great change-up.”
The Hens grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning off Rochester starter Dillon Gee on a 2-run homer by Tyler Collins.
The visitors from Ohio doubled their advantage with a pair of runs in the fourth. Toledo tacked on another run in the sixth as Gee yielded 5 runs on 8 hits over 6 innings. He also struck out 5 hitters.
The Red Wings finally got on the scoreboard in the eighth when Niko Goodrum tripled and scored on a ground out.
In the ninth, Rochester rallied and brought the tying run to the plate with no outs, but could not take advantage of the situation.
Kennys Vargas singled, ByungHo Park drew a walk, and J.B. Shuck followed with a RBI hit. Leonardo Reginatto, who returned to the lineup tonight off the disabled list, laced a RBI single. However, Toledo reliever, and former Red Wing, Edward Mujica, retired the next three batters to end the game.
*NOTES – In roster moves on Thursday, RHP Michael Kohn was signed by Minnesota, assigned to Rochester and placed on the disabled list with a right rotator cuff tear; INF Leonardo Reginatto was reinstated from disabled list; and INF Bengie Gonzalez was released…FOOTBALL NIGHT WITH THURMAN THOMAS: The Red Wings welcome Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas to Frontier Field on Football Night Friday. Thomas will sign autographs from 5-5:45 pm and the Wings will wear special Bills-themed jerseys that will be auctioned off to benefit the National Parkinson Foundation of Greater Rochester. The game starts at 6:05 pm…POST-GAME RPO CONCERT: Be sure to stick around after the game for a performance by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra! We’ll be collecting used instruments for the Rochester Education Foundation…POST-GAME FIREWORKS will take place after the RPO concert, presented by Batavia Downs Gaming and Hotel.
Links
Rochester Red Wings – www.redwingsbaseball.com
Videos
Mike Quade interview – https://youtu.be/j2CNQX0l0AU