IL1 Rochester Red Wings

Eighth is Great for Wings in Win

Published on August 6, 2007 under International League (IL1)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


Tommy Watkins and Denard Span had key hits in a five-run eighth inning, as the Red Wings beat Pawtucket 6-1 Wings Monday night. Reliever Julio DePaula picked up his 10th win of the season, after the clubs were tied 1-1 through seven innings. With the win, Rochester moves a half-game ahead of Durham for the International League wild card spot while remaining within two games of first place Scranton. TWSN cable 26/215 will show a replay of Monday's game on Tuesday at 3 pm; Tuesday and Wednesday night's games from Syracuse will be shown live on TWSN at 7 pm each night.

Monday's game matched up IL ERA leader Kevin Slowey with top Boston pitching prospect Clay Buchholz, making his fifth Triple-A start and having the second most strikeouts in the minor leagues this season (146). Slowey was not sharp early, in contrast to Buchholz; the Pawtucket starter notched a pair of strikeouts in each of the first two innings, while Slowey allowed five hits and a run resulting in a 1-0 Paw Sox lead after two.

The Wings could not touch Buchholz, who racked up seven strikeouts while allowing just a first inning single to Darnell McDonald through the first five innings. But in the sixth, Rochester pieced together a rally to pull even. Gil Velazquez singled to center to open the frame, and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Span. Matt Tolbert stroked a 2-2 pitch from Buchholz up the middle for a single, with Velazquez hustling home from second to knot the score at 1-1.

Slowey danced around trouble, scattering eight hits and a walk while striking out two through six innings. Inning number six brought a scare for Slowey, when with two outs Bobby Scales drilled a shot up the middle that struck Slowey's left ankle and ricocheted to first baseman Glenn Williams. Slowey instinctively ran to cover first, where Scales' headfirst slide beat the throw; Slowey had to leap up and over the sliding Scales at first and landed on his left foot. After an injury timeout and visit from the Wings' staff, Slowey tossed a few warmup pitches and play resumed with Slowey getting a pop up for the final out of the inning.

With Buchholz (seven innings, four hits, no walks and nine strikeouts) out of the way and reliever Edgar Martinez in for the eighth inning, the Wings batted around to take control of the game. Velazquez's one-out single started the rally, with Velazquez moving to second on a balk by Martinez (0-0). The balk was followed by an opposite field single by Span, bringing in Velazquez with the go-ahead run. McDonald beat out an infield hit and Garrett Jones received an intentional walk, followed by an RBI single from Williams. Span tried to score on the play but was called out after a great throw from Scales and a collision with catcher George Kottaras. Lincoln Holdzkom relieved Martinez, and promptly hit Jose Morales on the foot with a pitch. Watkins drilled a two-run single up the middle to put the Rochester lead at 6-1.

DePaula (10-5) finished with two scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out one.

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International League Stories from August 6, 2007


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