Blankenhorn's Career-High 24th Homer Lifts Wings over IronPigs
July 29, 2024 - International League (IL)
Rochester Red Wings News Release
In Sunday's finale against Lehigh Valley, the Red Wings came out on top in a pitcher's duel, 4-1. Solo home runs from RF Travis Blankenhorn and 1B Joey Meneses would power the Red Wings to their 54th win of the season pushing them one game back of the second-half International League lead. RHP Brad Lord delivered 5.0 strong innings of work on the mound with RHP Orlando Ribalta picking up his third win of the season. RHP Rico Garcia worked a clean ninth picking up his 16th save of the season which is tied for first in the International League as the Red Wings cap off a six-game series against the IronPigs.
The Red Wings jumped out in front in the bottom of the fourth, with a two-out Joey Meneses solo home run. This marked Meneses second home run with the Red Wings this season, a 367-foot shot that just cleared the wall in left field. Meneses has now homered in two of the last three games.
In the top of the fifth, the IronPigs evened the score at one after back-to-back singles from LF Símon Muzziotti and SS Jim Haley to put a pair of runners on base. The next batter, CF Cal Stevenson walked, which brought up 3B Buddy Kennedy with the bases loaded and one out. Kennedy skied one down the left field line just deep enough to score Muzziotti.
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Travis Blankenhorn turned on a 2-2 fastball and cranked it 407 feet to right field for his single-season career-high 24th home run of the season. Blankenhorn is now just three home runs shy of the International League lead and has homered in three straight games for the second time this year (last 4/19-4/21 vs. Toledo). This home run would put the Red Wings up 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh.
In the bottom of the eighth CF Dylan Crews walked leading to a DH Carter Kieboom double down the left field line advancing Crews to third base. The IronPigs would then walk Blankenhorn loading the bases with Meneses coming to the plate with one out. A wild pitch would score Crews and add an insurance run for the Red Wings making it 3-1. With everyone advancing up a base on the wild pitch, Meneses would smack a line drive to center field for a sacrifice fly that scored Kieboom, making the score 4-1.
The IronPigs would go down quietly in the ninth as the Red Wings split the series with the IronPigs 3-3, with a 4-1 victory in the series finale..
Right-hander Brad Lord made his sixth start for Rochester on Sunday afternoon. The South Florida product threw 5.0 innings allowing three hits, a run, two walks, and five strikeouts lowering his ERA to 3.82 on the season. Lord has now thrown at least 5.0 innings in five out of six starts for Rochester this season. LHP Joe La Sorsa was first to come in relief for Lord as he threw 1.0 inning, striking out the side in his only inning of work lowering his ERA to a team-best 2.01 (min. 20 appearances). Next to take the mound was Orlando Ribalta, who completed 1.0 inning of work and struck out one batter retiring the side in order. RHP Adonis Medina was next in line and threw 1.0 inning striking out one. Medina lowered his ERA to 3.12 on the season, recording five straight scoreless appearances in 5.1 innings of work. Rico Garcia took the ball in the ninth to close things out completing a 1-2-3 ninth and picked up his 16th save of the season, which is tied for first in the International League.
Sunday afternoon Diamond Pro Player of the Game goes to 1B Joey Meneses. The 2018 International League MVP went 2-for-3 with a home run, 2 RBI, and a run. Meneses has homered in two out of the last three games in this series and this home run marked his 50th career Triple-A home run. This is the Mexico native's first two-hit game with the Rochester Red Wings.
Rochester will take the day off tomorrow and welcome Omaha on Tuesday in the first of a six-game series. RHP Kyle Luckham will take the ball for his second Triple-A start against the Storm Chasers. The first pitch on Tuesday is scheduled for 6:45 p.m.
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