IL1 Rochester Red Wings

Macri Homer Helps Wings Win Home Opener

Published on April 11, 2008 under International League (IL1)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


Matt Macri's one-out home run in the eighth inning boosted the Red Wings to a 7-5 win over the Syracuse Chiefs, in the 2008 home season opener Friday night at Frontier Field. Friday's paid attendance was 10,136 on a night where the temperature dropped steadily after the gates opened, and a chilling rain came in waves at various times during the contest.

Syracuse got the scoring started in the top of the second inning, scoring an unearned run when Alexi Casilla's relay throw to third got away from third basemen Macri allowing Russ Adams to score. The error was one of three committed by the Red Wings in the top of the second inning. Wings starter Glen Perkins was able to escape further damage when Jorge Velandia flew out to left field to end the threat.

The Red Wings took the lead in the bottom of the second without recording a hit. Rochester loaded the bases on two walks and a sacrifice fielder's choice bunt off starting pitcher Davis Romero. Romero struck out the next two Red Wings before being pulled in favor of RHP Bubba Nelson. Nelson threw two wild pitches to the first two batters he faced allowing Randy Ruiz and Jon Knott to score.

Robinzon Diaz tied the game in the fourth on a solo home run over the left field fence.

Syracuse recaptured the lead, 4-2, on Adam Lind's RBI double and Diaz's RBI single in the top of the fifth.

Rochester scored yet another run without a hit in the bottom of the fifth. Two walks, a sacrifice fly and an RBI fielder's choice by Garrett Jones brought Casilla home and cut the Syracuse lead to 4-3.

With rain coming down harder in the sixth inning, Knott picked up the first Rochester hit with a double to the warning track in center. Jose Morales chopped a slow roller in front of the plate, and Chiefs pitcher John Parrish threw the ball far off the bag at first for a throwing error that moved Knott to third. Syracuse called a mound meeting that brought all the umpires over to inspect the wet pitcher's mound. After an 11-minute delay to work on the mound, Parrish fanned Macri. Knott worked Parrish for a walk to load the bases, then caught Casilla looking for the second out. But Chris Basak stroked a 2-1 pitch to left for a two-run single, putting the Wings ahead 5-4.

The Chiefs put their first two runners on in the top of the seventh via a walk and double against Wings pitcher Casey Daigle. Mariano Gomez then came on to strike out Russ Adams. Wings manager Stan Cliburn went back to his bullpen calling on closer Bobby Korecky to get out of the jam. Korecky got Diaz to hit a tapper back to the mound, where he threw out Lind at the plate trying to score from third. Matt Watson followed with a two-out RBI single just under the glove of a diving Casilla, scoring Hector Luna to tie the game at five.

With one out in the eighth against reliever Jordan De Jong, Macri pounded an opposite field homer. Pridie followed with a triple to left-center. Pridie scored the final run of the game on a wild pitch by De Jong.

Korecky (1-0) pitched two 2/3 innings, allowing just one hit.

NOTES: Sgt. Gary Biekirch threw out Friday's first pitch at the Red Wings Home Opener. Sgt. Biekirk was awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War. While caring for an injured soldier, Biekirk was paralyzed when he was shot near his spine. He continued to help the wounded and return enemy fire until he was evacuated to Valley Forge Medical Center, where he stayed for six months relearning how to walk.Currently, Sgt. Biekirk teaches middle school in Rochester...The Twins placed RHP Kevin Slowey on the DL and called up LHP Francisco Liriano from the Wings...An All-Star team of community partners and individuals combined to provide tickets to local Military members and their families. Click here to see a list of our Opening Day partners.....Rochester hitters walked 10 times, the most in one! game since July 20, 1998 - a 20-7 Wings win over Indianapolis....The Red Wings opened their 12th season at Frontier Field Friday night. Rochester has won six of their last seven home openers).. Since 1929, the Red Wings have a 47-33 record for home openers....The Red Wings have now committed an International League most 17 errors in the first eight games. Rochester hasn't led the International League in errors since 2001 (197)...The last time the Red Wings started a season on an extended eight-game road trip was 1997 when they traveled to Columbus and Toledo. Rochester started that trip with a 2-5 record but went on to finish with an 83-58 regular season record and won the Governors' Cup Championship...Outfielder Doug Deeds was traded to the Chicago Cubs late Thursday afternoon. Deeds started this season on the Red Wings disabled list with a strained right hamstring. Deeds goes to the Cubs as the player to be named later in the offseason trade that had out! fielder Craig Monroe coming to the Twins... .! ..Blue J ays closer B.J. Ryan, who was originally scheduled to pitch for the Chiefs here as part of his rehab assignment, gave up the game winning hit to Danny Santiestiban as the Twins' Class A Ft. Myers club beat Dunedin 3-2 Friday night. Ryan walked Edward Ovalle, wild pitched him to second, then committed a balk to move Ovalle to third before Santiestinban's winning hit.

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International League Stories from April 11, 2008


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