IL1 Rochester Red Wings

Rochester Red Wings Game Notes - Monday, September 3 vs. Syracuse (Nationals)

September 3, 2012 - International League (IL1)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2012 w FRONTIER FIELD

GAME #144 - HOME GAME #72 - 1:05 P.M.

SYRACUSE CHIEFS (70-73) at ROCHESTER RED WINGS (71-72)

RHP YUNESKY MAYA (11-9, 3.72) vs. RHP SHAIRON MARTIS (3-3, 5.70)

CLOSING TIME: The Rochester Red Wings today conclude the 2012 regular season with a one-game "series" against International League North division rival Syracuse (Nationals). The Wings are also wrapping their 10th season as the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, a partnership that began in 2003.

a The Red Wings and Twins on August 17 announced a 2-year Player Development Contract extension that runs through the 2014 season. The Twins have won 5 American League Central Division titles in 10 seasons as the parent club of the Red Wings, missing a 6th division title by one game in 2008.

a There are just 213 days until Opening Day 2013, April 4 at Buffalo, and only 215 until the home opener on Saturday, April 6 vs. Buffalo.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: The Red Wings need a win today to finish the season with a .500 record, which would mark their first non-losing campaign since the 2008 club went 74-70. Regardless of today's outcome, the Rochester will post its best record since 2008.

a The Red Wings also need a victory today to secure sole possession of 4th place in the 6-team IL North Division. A loss means Rochester and Syracuse would tie for the 4th spot. Regardless, the Wings in 2012 have avoided a last-place finish for the first time in 3 years. They finished 4th in 2009 with a 70-74 record, 12.5 games back.

a The Red Wings have never finished a season with a .500 record. The last Rochester team to "accomplish" the feat, according to the IL Record Book, was the 1915 Hustlers, who posted a 69-69 record.

TWINNING WAYS: With 71 wins, the Red Wings have already won 18 more games than last year (53-91) and 22 more than in 2010 (49-95). Regardless of today's outcome, the Wings will have posted their most wins since 2008.

a Rochester was a season-best 4 games above .500 at 65-61 on August 16, but they have gone 6-11 since.

a The Red Wings are 51-42 since sitting a season-worst 10 games below .500 at 20-30 on May 28. Going back further, Rochester is 57-49 beginning May 15 and 62-56 beginning May 3.

HOW THE NORTH WAS LOST: With one game remaining, the Red Wings are just 31-48 (.392) against IL North clubs. Their first 37 games of the season were against division rivals, and they went 14-23 in those contests. Rochester's final 17 games have been against North rivals, and its record is just 6-10 during the stretch. The Wings went a combined 40-24 against the IL South and IL West. Here's a look at the breakdown by division:

Opponents Record Against

IL North 31-48

IL South 16-16

IL West 24-8

a The Red Wings in 2012 won 5 season series, but none against IL North clubs. The 5 season series victories, which came against Columbus (6-2), Toledo (8-0), Louisville (6-2), Charlotte (5-3), and Norfolk (6-2), are Rochester's most since registering 7 in 2009.

a Rochester's season series sweep against Toledo is believed to be its first against any opponent in franchise history. It was the first in the IL since Pawtucket went 8-0 against Richmond in 2006.

FRONTIER AND CENTER: The Red Wings today are playing the 110th and final regular-season game of 2012 at Frontier Field. Today marks the 80th game for the Wings at Frontier, where they are 42-37. The record includes 8 games as the "road" team against the Empire State Yankees, who played 38 "home" contests here as PNC Field in Moosic, Pennsylvania undergoes major renovations.

a The Wings finished 33-39 as the road team, including a 29-35 mark in true road games.

ROSTER SHUFFLE: The Red Wings in 2012 have sent 22 players to the Twins thus far, including 13 pitchers, 5 infielders, 3 outfielders, and one catcher. The Wings employed the services of 17 players who were promoted from Double-A New Britain and Single-A Fort Myers. There are 4 players who began the season at New Britain and advanced all the way to Minnesota: Darin Mastroianni, Pedro Florimon, Luis Perdomo, and Lester Oliveros.

a Only 9 players on the Red Wings' active roster were on the club's Opening Day roster: Ray Chang, Brian Dinkelman, Brian Dozier, Michael Hollimon, Jeff Manship, Tsuyoshi Nishioka, Rene Rivera, Anthony Slama, and J.R. Towles. Carlos Gutierrez and Brendan Wise also started the year with the Wings, but they will end the season on the 7-Day Disabled List.

a A total of 56 players have appeared in at least one game for the Red Wings in 2012, including 30 pitchers and 26 position players. Three of the 56 were players on rehab: Nick Blackburn, Trevor Pouffe, and P.J. Walters. Blackburn and Walters, however, also appeared while on the active roster.

a Should righthander Jeff Gray pitch today, he would become the 57th. Rochester had 55 players appear in at least one game in 2011.

a A franchise-record 24 different pitchers have recorded at least one win. Anthony Slama became the 24th Saturday at Syracuse.

CUP RUNNETH OVER: The 2012 Thruway Series Cup presented by Hillside Family of Agencies concludes today with Buffalo having clinched their 3rd consecutive title. The current standings:

Rank Team Record Winning %

1. Buffalo 19-13 .594

2. Syracuse 17-14 .548

3. Rochester 11-20 .355

LEADING THE WAY: Barring a 2-homer game from Wilkin Ramirez, Chris Parmelee will lead the Red Wings in 2012 with 17 home runs. The 17 homers came in just 64 games with the club. Within reach for Ramirez, however, is the team's RBI title. He and Matt Carson, who is now with the Twins, both have 53. Nearly half of Ramirez's RBI (25) have come beginning August 1, which ranks 2nd in the IL in that time behind only Empire State's Corban Joseph and his 28 RBI.

a Carson will finish as the team leader with 119 hits, 28 doubles, 64 runs, and 115 games played. On the pitching front, Liam Hendriks and Esmerling Vasquez will lead the team with 9 wins, which are the most in one season since Philip Humber and Francisco Liriano both posted 10 in 2008. Vasquez will finish with a club-best 98 strikeouts.

Check out the Rochester Red Wings Statistics



International League Stories from September 3, 2012


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