IL1 Rochester Red Wings

Rochester Red Wings Game Notes - Monday, August 20 at Pawtucket (Red Sox)

Published on August 20, 2012 under International League (IL1)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 2012 w MCCOY STADIUM

GAME #130 - ROAD GAME #64 - 7:05 P.M.

ROCHESTER RED WINGS (65-64) at PAWTUCKET RED SOX (70-60)

RHP ESMERLING VASQUEZ (8-5, 2.85) vs. RHP NELSON FIGUEROA (10-4, 3.87)

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS: The Rochester Red Wings tonight begin a 2-game roadtrip and series at Pawtucket (Red Sox), which leads the International League Wild Card standings. The Red Wings are coming off a 3-3 homestand in which they won 3 of 4 vs. Indianapolis (Pirates) before getting swept in a 2-game set vs. Empire State (Yankees). Rochester returns home Wednesday for a 3-game series against Lehigh Valley (Phillies).

a Tonight's game at Pawtucket at 7:05 p.m. can be seen live in Rochester on Time Warner Cable Sports (TWCS) Channel 26, a simulcast of the New England Sports Network (NESN) broadcast.

THE STAGE HAS BEEN SET: The Red Wings are 4.5 games out of the IL Wild Card spot with 15 games to go. The Red Wings have lost 3 in a row, but have lost only 1.0 game in the standings in that time. Following 2 at Pawtucket, the Red Wings will play 3 vs. Lehigh Valley (Phillies), which trails Pawtucket by just 1.0 game.

a The Red Wings are 0-2 thus far in a 17-game stretch against IL North Division teams that closes out the regular season. Rochester is just 25-40 against its division rivals overall. The Wings are 40-24 outside the IL North.

TURN THIS CAR AROUND: The Red Wings have lost 3 in a row and are just 6-8 since a season-best 7-game winning streak July 29-August 5. The 3 straight losses have come after being a season-high 4 games above .500 at 65-61. It was the first time they had reached that mark since May 14, 2009, when they were 18-14 following a 5-4 win vs. Indianapolis.

a The Red Wings haven't lost more than 3 in a row since a 4-game skid May 25-28.

STILL AMONG THE ELITE: Despite the recent snafu, the Red Wings still have the 2nd-best record in the IL beginning July 1 at 28-19. Here's a look at the Top-5 records since the start of July, led by Charlotte (White Sox):

Rank Team Record Win %

1. Charlotte 28-18 .609

2. Rochester 28-19 .596

3. Empire State 27-19 .587

4. Columbus 25-21 .543

5. Indianapolis 25-22 .532

a The Red Wings are 45-34 since sitting a season-worst 10 games below .500 at 20-30 on May 28. Going back further, Rochester is 51-41 beginning May 15.

WINNING WAYS: At 65-64, the Red Wings are off to their best 129-game start since 2007, when they were 70-59. The Red Wings in 2012 are looking for their first winning season since the 2008 club went 74-70. Rochester needs to win 8 of its final 15 games to finish above .500.

HOME ON THE ROAD: The Red Wings tonight begin a stretch of playing 9 of their final 15 games on the road. Rochester is just 24-31 in true road games, but they have won 8 of their last 9, 12 of their last 17, and 13 of their last 19 away from Frontier Field.

a The Wings are 2-4 at Pawtucket, 0-3 at Buffalo, and 2-4 at Syracuse, the 3 remaining road cities left on the 2012 docket.

a The Wings posted an 8-game road winning streak July 29-August 12, their longest such streak since at least 1981.

FAR FROM PAWFECT: The Red Wings have won 3 of their last 4 against Pawtucket and 4 of their last 6 against the IL Wild Card leader. They would need a sweep of this 2-game series to gain a split of the 16-game season series. Rochester hasn't won a season series against the PawSox since going 10-6 against them in 2009.

a The Wings have hit 11 homers in 14 games against Pawtucket, tied for their most against any team along with Columbus. Rochester's 11 homers against the Clippers, however, came in 8 games.

a Speaking of homers, the Red Wings have hit 17 in August, tied for the 2nd most in the IL with Columbus in that time behind only Empire State's 19.

PRODUCTION SLOWDOWN: The Red Wings have scored 3 runs or less in 4 straight games (8 total) and in 6 of their last 7 contests (20 total). Rochester remains last in the league with 494 runs scored overall, the only team that has yet to reach the 500-run plateau.

a The Red Wings have grounded into 7 double plays in their 4 games, but they have hit into just 79 overall for the 2nd-lowest total in the league. Indianapolis has grounded into a league-low 74 double plays.

LET'S GET IT STARTED: Red Wings starting pitchers have just one win in the last 7 games, which came from tonight's starter Esmerling Vasquez Wednesday vs. Indianapolis. Wings starters are 1-3 with a 4.15 ERA (16 ER/34.2 IP) in that time, though 2 were abbreviated starts from the rehabbing P.J. Walters.

a Vasquez enters tonight's contest having tossed 18.2 consecutive scoreless innings in his last 3 games (one start). His 2 outings of relief in this span came backing up the rehabbing Walters.

BIRTHDAY WISHES ALL AROUND: Red Wings hitting coach Tom Brunansky and pitching coach Bobby Cuellar today celebrate their 52nd and 60th birthdays, respectively. They share their special day with Andy Benes, Todd Helton, Graig Nettles, Don King, and Connie Chung. Nettles, somewhat coincidentally, was selected by the Twins in the 4th round of the 1965 draft.

a Brunansky batted only .129 (4-for-31) on his birthday during his major league career. He hit one homer in 1989 as a Cardinal off Reds lefthander Tim Birtsas at Riverfront Stadium.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

0 Opponent Time Probable A0 TV/Radio

Tuesday, August 21 at Pawtucket 7:05 p.m. LHP Pedro Hernandez (1-1, 4.50) vs. RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-3, 3.68) WHTK 1280 AM

Wed., August 22 vs. Lehigh Valley 7:05 p.m. RHP Scott Elarton (5-11, 5.48) vs. RHP Liam Hendriks (9-3, A0 WHTK 1280 AM

Thursday, August 23 vs. Lehigh Valley 7:05 p.m. RHP Tyler Cloyd (12-1, 2.27) vs. Shairon Martis (2-3, A0 TWCS 26/WHTK 1280 AM

Friday, August 24 vs. Lehigh Valley 7:05 p.m. RHP Tyson Brummett (3-4, 3.39) vs. TWCS 26/WHTK 1280 AM

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International League Stories from August 20, 2012


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