Rochester Cruises Past Tribe, 11-3
July 12, 2007 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Third baseman Brian Buscher blasted a pair of solo homers, while shortstop Alexi Casilla collected four hits as Rochester rolled to an 11-3 win over Indianapolis Thursday evening at Frontier Field.
The Red Wings improve to 48-42 overall and 28-21 at home, while the Indians fall to 48-42 on the season and 20-25 on the road. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Indianapolis, Rochester and Louisville are now separated by just one game in the International League's Wild Card race.
Buscher, who entered the night with just 20 long balls in 410 professional games, led off the second by whacking a solo shot down the right-field line and opened the fourth by launching a solo blast off the top of the right-field scoreboard.
Casilla (4-for-5, 2 R, 1 RBI), 2B Matt Tolbert (3-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI), LF Tommy Watkins (3-for-5, 2 RBI), Buscher (2-for-3, 3 R, 2 RBI), RF Darnell McDonald (2-for-5, 2 RBI), 1B Glenn Williams (2-for-5, 1 R) and C Jose Morales (2-for-4, 2 R) all notched multi-hit efforts for Rochester.
The Red Wings pounded out a season-best 21 base knocks in the victory. The total ranks as the second-most in the IL this season and the most allowed by Indianapolis pitching in 2007.
Buscher's second roundtripper sparked a four-run fourth. Tolbert roped an RBI single to score Morales, while McDonald hammered a two-run double to plate Casilla and Tolbert.
Rochester added five scores to pull away in the seventh. Watkins tagged an RBI single to bring Williams home, while the second run scored on a fielder's choice. Casilla then lined an RBI single to plate Morales, while SS Gil Velazquez added to the hit parade with a two-run double as CF Denard Span and Casilla trotted scored.
The Red Wings also pushed across runs in the second and eighth frames.
3B Don Kelly, DH Jose Hernandez, RF Yurendell de Caster and 2B Luis Ordaz recorded two base knocks apiece for Indianapolis. Kelly scored on a Hernandez RBI single in the first before Rochester answered the call with the game's next five runs.
Red Wings RHP Kevin Slowey (6.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO) earned the win, improving to 7-2. Indians RHP Ricardo Rodriguez (3.2 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO) suffered the loss, falling to 0-2.
Rochester has won five of its last seven at home, while Indianapolis has dropped six straight on the road.
The two teams return to Frontier Field on Friday at 6:35 p.m., for game two of the four-game series. LHP Michael Tejera is slated to start for Indianapolis, while LHP Brian Duensing is expected to get the nod for Rochester.
The contest will be carried by ESPN-950 AM and IndyIndians.com with Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley. The pre-game show begins at 6:15 p.m.
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