Rochester Red Wings Game Notes - August 16 vs. Charlotte
IL Rochester Red Wings

Rochester Red Wings Game Notes - August 16 vs. Charlotte

Published on August 16, 2026 under International League (IL)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


Charlotte Knights (22-22, 64-55) vs. Rochester Red Wings (25-19, 70-47)

Sunday, August 16, 2026 - 1:05 p.m. ET - ESL Ballpark - Rochester, NY

Radio: Fox Sports 1280/iHeartRadio TV: Bally Sports Live

RHP Jonathan Cannon (5-4, 5.02) vs. RHP Zak Kent (5-0, 3.89)

THESE WINGS NEVER DIE: Powered by a pair of home runs from LF TREY LIPSCOMB, the Rochester Red Wings secured a 5-2 victory over the Charlotte Knights (42-34, 64-55) on Saturday evening...Lipscomb went 3-for-4 at the plate and tallied four RBI, while RF LEANDRO PINEDA added two hits alongside a run of his own...six different arms saw time on the hill, with LHP ERIK TOLMAN earning his third victory of the season...the Red Wings look to win their 13th series of the season today, sending RHP ZAK KENT to the mound against Knight RHP Jonathan Cannon...

After last night's win, the Red Wings have now split or won nine of their last 10 home series against Charlotte dating back to 2011 (DNP 2021-25), going 24-12 over that span.

WHAT KENT HE DO?: RHP ZAK KENT will take the ball first this afternoon, making his first start since 9/20/2024 at TOL, with COL...he tossed 2.0 scoreless innings on one hit with a strikeout Wednesday night, and now owns a 0.64 ERA (1 ER/14.0 IP) across 12 appearances at ESL Ballpark...the 28-year-old Virginia native will be the 21st Red Wing to make a start in 2026...

Kent is just four appearances short of 100 in his Triple-A career.

LIPPING UP TO THE HYPE: LF TREY LIPSCOMB nearly blew the top off of ESL Ballpark in last night's three-run victory, propelling the Red Wings to flight with his 23rd and 24th homers of the season...his first, an opposite-field long ball, cut the deficit to a single run while his seventh-inning slam came as a three-run shot that put the Wings up 5-2, and eventually the nail in the coffin...the former Tennessee Volunteer now boasts three separate multi-home run games in his career, with two occurring against CLT (7/29/25)...he now has 75 RBI, which overtakes his previous career-high in the category (72, 2023)...Lipscomb joins Travis Blankenhorn (75 in 2023) as the only Red Wings in the Nationals era (since 2021) to drive in at least 75 runs in a single season...his 24 home runs are tied for the most by a Rochester right-handed hitter since Adam Brett Walker hit 27 in 2016...

Among all Minor Leaguers who have faced the Knights (min. 40 AB), he holds the lead in batting average (.429), SLG (.786), OPS (1.215) and isolated power (.357).

CLEARED FOR LANDING: Following the start from RHP EDDY YEAN, LHP JARED SIMPSON tossed five strikeouts across 2.1 innings without allowing a hit or a walk...Saturday night marked the first five-K outing of his Minor League career, and his first game at the Triple-A level without allowing a hit or walk...RHP LUIS PERALES followed Simpson with five strikeouts of his own in two full innings of work, bringing his strikeout total to 19 over 18.0 innings pitched in four games as a reliever this season...the duo combined for 10 of the 14 strikeouts from the Red Wings' bullpen Saturday...

Since the All-Star break, the Red Wings' bullpen leads all MiLB in holds (19) and ranks second in strikeouts (174)...across Triple-A, they lead in ERA (3.01, 49 ER/146.1 IP) and rank second in batting average (.214)...they also rank fourth in the International League in wins (12), earned runs (49), WHIP (1.31), and K/BB (2.35).

GUS LIGHTYEAR: RHP GUS VARLAND came on once again in the ninth inning last night, and retired all three batters he faced to pick up his third save as a Red Wing...after locking things down for his second save Friday night, Varland is the second Rochester pitcher to notch a save on back-to-back days this season, joining RHP EDDY YEAN (6/2 & 6/3 at LHV)...the Minnesota native has not allowed an earned run in four-straight, and 11 of his last 12 outings with the Red Wings dating back to 7/11 at WOR...he is one of six International League relievers to turn in at least 10.0 innings, while allowing one or fewer earned runs over that stretch.

GLASSERPIECE: After working a walk in the seventh inning last night, DH PHILLIP GLASSER extended his on-base streak to 22 games dating back to 7/22...this is the longest such streak by a Red Wing in 2026, and is the longest since 3B YOHANDY MORALES reached safely in 25-straight from 7/1-8/5 in 2025...the Canton, Ohio native is reaching base at a .426 clip with an International League-leading 22 walks over the course of the streak...since making his Triple-A debut on 9/9/2025, Glasser ranks eighth in the IL in OBP (.392), and ranks sixth in batting average (.301).

(LEAND)ING THE WAY: RF LEANDRO PINEDA notched a pair of singles and scored a run in the winning effort...his single in the seventh inning kick started the Wings' comeback that saw himself and three of his teammates cross home plate...Saturday marked the 14th game of his first 15 as a Red Wing that the Venezuela native has reached base safely.

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