IL1 Rochester Red Wings

Rochester Red Wings Game Notes - Wednesday, May 2 at Empire State Yankees

May 2, 2012 - International League (IL1)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2012 w FRONTIER FIELD

GAME #25 - ROAD GAME #13 - 7:05 P.M.

ROCHESTER RED WINGS (9-15) at EMPIRE STATE YANKEES (13-10)

RHP COLE DEVRIES (0-1, 2.91) vs. LHP MANNY BANUELOS (0-1, 10.13)

EMPIRE STRIKES BACK: The Rochester Red Wings tonight continue their 7-game roadtrip with the 2nd game of a 4-game series against the Empire State Yankees at Frontier Field. The Wings were swept in a rain-shortened 3-game series at Buffalo (Mets) to start the trip. Following 3 more games with the Yankees, Rochester will welcome Buffalo to town for a brief 2-game series Saturday-Sunday and then hit the road for their first of 5 season-long 8-game roadtrips with stops at Pawtucket (Red Sox) and Syracuse (Nationals).

BASEBALL MONTH IN ROCHESTER: The Red Wings and Monroe County have proclaimed May as "Baseball Month in Rochester." Frontier Field is hosting games on 26 of the 31 days in the month, as the Empire State Yankees use the downtown ballpark as a temporary home while PNC Field in Moosic, PA undergoes a season-long renovation. Today at the ballpark:

aHosted organization in suite: Continuing Developmental Services

aSpikes and Mittsy appearance: School of the Holy Child (Rochester)

aRaffle items: Autographed and framed lineup card from Red Wings' July 6, 2011 combined no-hitter, Jeff Nelson autographed photo, Ben Revere autographed baseball, Brandon Laird autographed baseball

ROSTER NEWS: The Red Wings yesterday reinstated Rene Tosoni from the 7-Day Disabled List. The outfielder missed 20 games after suffering a lacerated left ring finger in the home opener April 7 vs. Buffalo. Tosoni sustained the injury while sliding into home on a safety-squeeze bunt. He was placed on the DL April 13.

aThe Minnesota Twins yesterday recalled Drew Butera from Triple-A Rochester. He did not play yesterday in their 4-0 loss at the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

UNLUCKY SEVEN: The Red Wings yesterday lost their 7th game in a row. They have also lost 9 of their last 11 and 13 of their last 17 since opening the season 5-2. At 9-15, the Wings are off to their worst 24-game start since the 2001 club went 8-16. Rochester that year lost their 25th game, a 4-2 setback vs. Buffalo (Indians), to fall to 8-17.

aRochester's 7-game skid is their longest losing streak since a franchise-worst 12-game losing streak August 23-September 3, 2010. The 12-game stretch has happened on 3 occasions in the history of professional baseball in Rochester, including July 24-August 5, 2002 and sometime in 1920, when the Hustlers lost 12 straight.

MAY DAY!: Following last night's 5-2 loss against Empire State, the Red Wings tonight look to avoid losing their first 2 games in May for the first time since the 2002 club lost 4 in a row to open the month. The club that year lost 5-4 and 13-4 vs. Toledo (Tigers) and 2-1 and 3-2 at Indianapolis (Brewers).

aRochester went 10-17 in May 2011, including a 1-1 start.

MOMENTUM SLOWED: The Red Wings played their first 16 games of the season without a weather-related postponed game, the longest such streak since the 2002 club played 17 straight games to open the year until their 18th game was rained out at Buffalo (Indians). The 2012 Wings were 8-8 at the time of their first postponement. They have had 3 rainouts and a scheduled offday since, playing just 7 of the last 11 days (8 games total with last Thursday's doubleheader) and are 1-7 in that time.

LET'S RE-LIVE THAT OPENING DAY MAGIC: Since scoring a season-high 7 runs on Opening Day, April 5 at Syracuse, the Red Wings have been held to 5 runs or less in each of their last 23 games. In the 5 contests they've scored at least 5 runs, the Wings are 4-1. They are 5-14 in their other 19 games.

aThe Red Wings have scored an International League-low 73 runs, 14 fewer than the next closest team: Lehigh Valley (Phillies) with 87. The league leader is Toledo (Tigers), which has plated 134 runs, 61 more than Rochester.

aThe Wings have been held to 3 runs or less in 5 straight games.

aDespite the offensive woes, Rochester is one of only 6 teams in the IL that has been shut out once or not at all. The Wings were blanked 2-0 April 18 at Empire State. The other 5 teams with one or no shutouts: Columbus (none), Gwinnett (one), Lehigh Valley (one), Louisville (one), Toledo (none).

aThe Wings are hitting just .182 (10-for-55) with runners in scoring position during their 7-game losing streak, including a 1-for-11 mark last night at Empire State. They are hitting .223 (45-for-202) in such cases overall.

BY THE NUMBERS: The Red Wings thus far have employed the services of 29 players, including 16 position players and 13 pitchers. Luke French will become the 30th player used by the team when he starts tomorrow at Empire State. Six different players have been placed on the DL (5 current) and 2 have been recalled to the Twins, including Ben Revere and Drew Butera.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE: The Red Wings today hosted a group of kids from Wayne High School's (Ontario Center, NY) sports management class. They received a tour of Frontier Field and listened to presentations from front-office staff members, including Marketing Director Matt Cipro, Ticket Operations Director Rob Dermondy, Assistant Director of Groups and Picnics Bob Craig, and the Voice of the Red Wings, Josh Whetzel.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Time Probable Starters

TV/Radio

Thursday, May 3 at Empire State 7:05 p.m. LHP Luke French (NR) vs. RHP Ramon Ortiz (0-2, 5.09) WHTK 1280 AM, FM 107.3

Friday, May 4 at Empire State 7:05 p.m. RHP P.J. Walters (2-1, 3.08) vs. RHP Dellin Betances (1-2, 7.25) WHTK 1280 AM, FM 107.3

Saturday, May 5 vs. Buffalo 7:05 p.m. LHP Scott Diamond (4-1, 2.84) vs. RHP Dylan Owen (2-1, 3.18) TWCS 26/WHTK 1280 AM, FM 107.3

Sunday, May 6 vs. Buffalo 1:05 p.m. RHP Daryl Thompson (1-2, 3.60) vs. LHP Garrett Olson (0-2, 3.29) TWCS 26/WHTK 1280 AM, FM 107.3

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