Walker Homer Wins It for Wings
July 15, 2016 - International League (IL1)
Rochester Red Wings News Release
Adam Brett Walker's long home run in the bottom of the eighth inning boosted the Rochester Red Wings to an 8-6 win over the Norfolk Tides Friday night at Frontier Field.
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The Wings got out to an early lead in the bottom of the first. After Darin Mastroianni led off the inning with a double, James Beresford singled to give the Wings runners at the corners. Jorge Polanco grounded into a double play, but Mastroianni scored on the play to give the Wings a 1-0 lead.
The Tides threatened in the top of the second, as they loaded the bases after two hits and a walk. Wings starter Logan Darnell allowed a bases loaded single to Michael Almanzar to tie the game at 1-1, but Logan Schafer made a fantastic throw to get L.J. Hoes out at the plate to end the inning.
Tides starter Tyler Wilson struggled early in his first Triple-A start of the season. In the bottom of the second, Walker hit a long fly ball to center field that was just missed by Xavier Avery in the field, which allowed Walker to make his way to third for a triple. One batter later, Schafer blooped a single into right field to score Walker. Mastroianni hit a two-run double after Wilfredo Tovar singled to give the Wings a 4-1 lead.
Wilson exited the game following the play and was replaced by Andy Oliver. Wilson lasted just 1.2 innings while allowing four runs on six hits with one strikeout.
The Tides quickly mounted a comeback in the third inning. After singles by Avery and Dariel Alvarez, Trey Mancini launched a liner into center field to score two runs before making his way to third, then scored after an error by Polanco to tie the game at 4-4. Darnell settled down by striking out two consecutive batters. After allowing a single to Hoes, Darnell picked him off to end the inning.
After getting two outs and allowing a single in the fourth inning, Darnell exited the game with an apparent injury and was replaced by Nick Greenwood. Darnell went 3.2 innings and allowed four runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and one walk.
Oliver dominated in the third and start of the fourth, but ran into trouble midway through the bottom of the frame. Tovar cracked a ground rule double to left field, and then John Ryan Murphy singled down the left field line to score Tovar and give the Wings a 5-4 lead. With the single, Murphy broke an 0-for-17 skid at the plate.
In the top of the fifth, Alvarez and Mancini started off the inning with two consecutive singles, but the Tides were unable to capitalize on the runners as Greenwood quickly worked through the rest of the inning.
An inning later, Michael Almanzar hit a solo homer to tie the game up at 5-5.
After two great bunts by Schafer and Tovar in the bottom of the sixth, Murphy hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Walker - who walked to start the inning - to take a 6-5 lead. Oliver was then replaced by Richard Rodriguez.
Sean Burnett replaced Greenwood to start the seventh inning. Greenwood went 2.1 innings and allowed one run on three hits while striking out two. Burnett got into some trouble to start the inning by allowing two straight singles to Alvarez and Mancini, but then got two straight outs. It looked as if Burnett would escape the inning unscathed, but Hoes hit a grounder to first that was mishandled by Byung Ho Park and Alvarez was able to score on the play. Mancini, however, was tagged out attempting to take third to end the inning.
With Buddy Boshers on the mound, the Tides put runners at first and third with one out in the top of the eighth. Boshers got Avery to pop out to left field, and Alex Wimmers relieved Boshers with Alvarez - who already had three hits in the game - due up. Alvarez lofted a long flyball to left, and Schafer tracked it down for the third out.
Park greeted reliever Pedro Beato (3-4) with a double to start the bottom of the eighth. Pinch-runner Tommy Field moved over to third base on a passed ball, and Walker followed with a towering drive that ended up bouncing on Plymouth Avenue. The two-run homer, Walker's 17th of the season, put the Wings on top 8-6.
In the top of the ninth, Tovar took away a hit from Mancini by snagging a hard-hit ball headed for the outfield and throwing out Mancini at first. Wimmers improved his record to 2-1.
The Tides out-hit the Red Wings 15-11. Walker had two hits, two RBI and three runs scored.
NOTES: Darin Mastroianni picked up two more hits Friday, part of a 17-for-42 (.405) hot streak over his last 11 games.
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