Rochester Red Wings Game Notes - Thursday, August 9 vs. Empire State (Yankees)
August 9, 2012 - International League (IL1)
Rochester Red Wings News Release
THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2012 w FRONTIER FIELD
GAME #119 - HOME GAME #58 - 7:05 P.M.
EMPIRE STATE YANKEES (65-52) at ROCHESTER RED WINGS (59-59)
RHP JOHN MAINE (5-3, 5.23) vs. RHP P.J. WALTERS (3-1, 2.64)
STRIKE BACK AGAINST THE EMPIRE: The Rochester Red Wings tonight continue their 6-game homestand with the finale of their 4-game series vs. Empire State (Yankees). The Red Wings have lost each of the first 3 games of the series, and after tonight's contests will welcome Pawtucket (Red Sox) to town for a brief 2-game set tomorrow-Saturday. Rochester will then hit the road for a 2-game trip to Lehigh Valley (Phillies) Sunday-Monday.
a Tonight's game against Empire State is being broadcast live on Time Warner Cable Sports (TWCS). Tomorrow's and Saturday's tilts with Pawtucket will also be shown live on TWCS.
a Tomorrow's game will feature Boston Red Sox righthander Daisuke Matsuzaka, who will make a rehab start for the PawSox.
ROSTER NEWS: Right-handed reliever Anthony Slama today was reinstated from the 7-Day Disabled List. He missed the last 58 games with a right leg contusion, sustaining the injury when Norfolk's (Orioles) Miguel Tejada lined one off him June 6 at Frontier Field in the 6th inning. The 28-year-old Slama made 2 official rehab appearances, both with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Twins. He allowed one run and 2 hits in 2.2 innings, striking out 3 and walking one.
a Despite missing all that time, Slama is still tied with Casey Fien for the team lead with 9 saves. Slama has a 0.40 ERA in 20 games with the Wings, allowing just 2 runs (one earned) in 22.2 innings.
LET'S GET BACK ON TRACK: The Red Wings have lost 3 in a row since their season-best 7-game winning streak. Despite the downturn, the Wings are still tied for the best record in the league beginning July 1 at 22-14. A look at the best records in the International League since the start of July:
Rank Team Record
T1. 22-14
Columbus (Indians) 22-14
3. Charlotte (White Sox) 20-15
4. Norfolk (Orioles) 19-16
5. Indianapolis (Pirates) 20-17
a The Red Wings are 39-29 since sitting a season-worst 10 games below .500 at 20-30 on May 28. Going back further, Rochester is 45-36 beginning May 15 and 50-43 beginning May 3.
a A loss tonight would give the Red Wings their longest losing streak since a 4-game skid May 25-28.
WINNING WAYS: At 59-59, the Red Wings are off to their best 118-game start since 2007, when they were 64-54. The 2011 club was 26 games under .500 at 46-72 at this point last season and finished 53-91. The 2010 team was 34 games below .500 at 42-76 at this juncture and went on to finish only 49-95.
A BAD HOME RUN: The Red Wings have lost a season-high 5 games in a row at Frontier Field and a setback tonight would give them their longest losing streak at Frontier since an 8-game skid June 22-July 10, 2010. Rochester is still 36-29 at Frontier Field overall, a record that includes a 4-4 mark as the "road" team against Empire State.
a The 36 home wins are Rochester's most since 2009, when they went 36-36 along Morrie Silver Way. A victory tonight would give the Wings their most wins at Frontier since going 46-26 in 2008.
a The Red Wings have managed only 13 hits in their last 4 games at Frontier Field.
A NICE ROUND NUMBER: Gene Glynn tonight is managing his 500th career game. The Waseca, Minnesota native skippered 381 minor league games over 5 seasons from 1986-92 before returning to the managerial ranks in 2012 with the Red Wings. Glynn has a career record of 249-250.
a Glynn is the 5th manager of the Red Wings since they became the Triple-A affiliate of the Twins in 2003, joining Phil Roof (2003-05), Rich Miller (2005), Stan Cliburn (2006-09), and Tom Nieto (2010-11).
STAT JINXED: The Red Wings last night lost for the first time in 47 games in 2012 when leading after 8 innings, blowing a 3-2 lead in the 9th. At 47-0, Buffalo is now the only team in the IL that hasn't lost a game when leading after 8 innings.
NO BROOMS, PLEASE: The Red Wings need a win tonight to avoid their 2nd 4-game sweep. They were swept in a 4-game set at Syracuse (Nationals) May 11-14. Rochester also needs a win tonight to avoid their first 4-game sweep against Empire State since August 22-25, 2011 at PNC Field in Moosic, Pennsylvania.
a The Wings haven't been swept in a 4-game series at Frontier Field since Pawtucket did the deed August 26-29, 2010.
PEDRO VOTED FOR: Shortstop Pedro Florimon was voted as having the Best Infield Arm in the International League in Baseball America 's 2012 Best Tools survey of managers and coaches. Florimon was the Red Wings' sole representative at the Triple-A All-Star Game in Buffalo. He started at shortstop, played 5 innings, and struck out in both of his plate appearances.
HALL PASS: Prior to tomorrow's game with Pawtucket, former Red Wings righthander Dave Leonhard and former Rochester Tribe first baseman Fred Merkle will be inducted to the Red Wings Hall of Fame. Leonhard pitched 4 seasons for the Red Wings in 1966-67, 1971, and 1973, going 34-15 with a 3.41 ERA in 84 games (65 starts) and helping the Wings win the IL pennant in 1966 and the Governors' Cup and Junior World Series in 1971.
a Merkle, meanwhile, played 5 years for Rochester and he hit better than .340 in each of his first 4 IL seasons. In the history of Rochester baseball, he ranks third with a .343 batting average, 915 hits, and 699 games played. Merkle also ranks second in Rochester history with 471 RBI, 585 runs scored, and 105 stolen bases. He led the league with 130 RBI in 1922 and 166 RBI in 1923. Merkle was inducted to the IL Hall of Fame in 1953.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
0 Opponent Time Probable A0 TV/Radio
Friday, August 10 vs. Pawtucket 7:05 p.m. RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-2, 3.21) vs. RHP Eric Hurley (0-0, 11.25) TWCS/WHTK 1280 AM
Saturday, August 11 vs. Pawtucket 7:05 p.m. RHP Steven Wright (NR) vs. LHP Pedro Hernandez (1-1, A0 TWCS/WHTK 1280 AM
Sunday, August 12 at Lehigh Valley 5:35 p.m. RHP Liam Hendriks (8-2, 2.14) vs. RHP Scott Elarton (5-9, A0 WHTK 1280 AM
Monday, August 13 at Lehigh Valley 7:05 p.m. RHP Shairon Martis (2-1, .563) vs. RHP Tyler Cloyd (11-1, A0 WHTK 1280 AM
International League Stories from August 9, 2012
- Wilson Tosses Rain-Shortened Eight-Inning No-Hitter - Indianapolis Indians
- Norfolk Tramples G-Braves, 10-2 - Gwinnett Stripers
- Knights No-Hit by Indians in Rain-Shortened Game on Thursday - Charlotte Knights
- Hens Split Series After 5-3 Win over Louisville - Toledo Mud Hens
- Four-Run 4th Leads Red Wings Over Yankees 5-2 in Series Finale - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees
- Bulls Sink Clippers in 12-2 Drubbing - Durham Bulls
- Rochester Red Wings Post-Game Notes- Rochester 5, Empire State 2 - Rochester Red Wings
- Rochester Red Wings Game Notes - Thursday, August 9 vs. Empire State (Yankees) - Rochester Red Wings
- Bisons Notes - Buffalo at Lehigh Valley (7:05 P.M.) - Buffalo Bisons
- Chiefs Top PawSox with 6-3 Win - Pawtucket Red Sox
- 5-Run Third Leads Chiefs Past Red Sox - Syracuse Mets
- IronPigs Game Notes - Lehigh Valley IronPigs
- Dave Leonhard and Fred Merkle to be Inducted to Red Wings Hall of Fame Tomorrow - Rochester Red Wings
- Hernandez Named Tribe's POTM for July - Indianapolis Indians
- Gwinnett Braves Award July Grant to ALS Association - Gwinnett Stripers
- Janowski Added to Board of Directors - Syracuse Mets
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