Knights Score Seven Unanswered, Hold on to Beat Wings
IL Rochester Red Wings

Knights Score Seven Unanswered, Hold on to Beat Wings

Published on August 1, 2025 under International League (IL)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


In a game delayed by over an hour due to inclement weather, the Rochester Red Wings came up just short of a spectacular ninth inning rally, falling to the Charlotte Knights 7-5. The Red Wings loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the ninth, but were unable to complete the rally. SS Jackson Cluff homered and tripled, bringing in three runs to keep Rochester in the game. PH-RF Trey Lipscomb picked up a multi-hit performance off the bench, and DH Nick Schnell, LF Darren Baker, and CF Andrew Pinckney also had two-hit games.

Rochester was the first on the scoreboard for the third consecutive game. Nick Schnell led off the second inning with a soft ground ball to second base, which he legged out for an infield single. After stealing second base, Schnell moved to third on a ground ball from Andrew Pinckney. Jackson Cluff drove home the Red Wings' first run with a line drive down the right field line, which he legged out for his fourth triple of the season, giving the Wings a 1-0 lead.

Charlotte responded in the fourth inning, taking their first lead of the series. A single from 1B Tim Elko and a hit-by-pitch to DH Bryan Ramos put runners on first and second with one out. The next batter, 2B Jacob Gonzales, then sent the first pitch he saw into center for an RBI single to tie the game. After CF Dru Baker was also hit by a pitch to load the bases, SS Vinny Capra delivered a single into left field that brought two runs home and gave the Knights a 3-1 advantage.

Charlotte extended their lead in the bottom of the fifth. After RF Dominic Fletcher became the third Charlotte hitter to be hit by a pitch, Tim Elko took a breaking ball at the top of the zone and blasted it to left field for a two-run home run. Following the home run, 3B Andre Lipcius got the Charlotte offense rolling again with a double to right field. Later in the inning with two outs, Lipcius came in to score on a double from C Blake Sabol. PH-SS Jacob Amaya brought Sabol in for the fourth run of the inning a batter later, sending a line-drive RBI single into left field to make it a 7-1 ballgame.

The Red Wings responded to the Knights' rally in the top of the sixth. 1B Andrés Chaparro led off the inning with a single into left field. A batter later, Jackson Cluff drove in his second and third runs of the game, sending a line-drive home run over the right field wall for his sixth long ball of the year, cutting the deficit to 7-3.

Rochester sliced into Charlotte's lead once again in the top of the eighth. Andrew Pinckney started off the inning with a double into right field and moved to third on a fly ball from Jackson Cluff. The next batter, C Francisco Mejía, drove a fly ball to center field that was deep enough for Pinckney to tag up and score. After eight innings, the Red Wings trailed the Knights, 7-4.

Rochester had the pieces in place to come back in the top of the ninth. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with no outs, but consecutive strikeouts brought the Wings down to their final out. Andrew Pinckney beat out an infield single to first base to keep the rally alive and bring home a run, but a flyout to center ended the game, 7-5.

RHP Cade Cavalli toed the rubber on Thursday night for the Red Wings. In 4.0 innings, the former first-round pick struck out seven batters and allowed four runs on six hits and three hit batters. RHP Parker Dunshee came in for relief in the fifth inning, giving up five hits and three earned runs in a full inning of work. RHP Holden Powell threw a perfect 1-2-3 inning to get the Rochester pitching staff back on track in the sixth inning, and allowed just one hit over his two innings of work, racking up three strikeouts. RHP Marquis Grissom Jr. closed out the game for the Wings with a scoreless eighth inning, punching out two hitters.

SS Jackson Cluff is tonight's Player of the Game for Rochester. A triple down the right field line in the first inning brought in the Red Wings' first run of the game, and Cluff added two more RBI on a home run in the sixth inning. This was the fourth game in Cluff's career where he hit both a triple and home run in the same game, with the most recent coming with Rochester on June 30, 2024 vs. Indianapolis.

Rochester looks to get back on track in game four of their series against Charlotte Friday night. The Knights will start RHP Jesse Scholtens on the mound. First pitch is set for 7:04 PM.

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International League Stories from August 1, 2025


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