IL1 Rochester Red Wings

Struggling Wings Drop 5-2 Decision to Yanks

Published on August 23, 2007 under International League (IL1)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


STRUGGLING WINGS DROP 5-2 DECISION TO YANKS The Red Wings let an early lead slip away, then failed to convert two great scoring chances late in the game in losing 5-2 to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees Thursday night at Frontier Field. Starter Nick Blackburn pitched seven innings and allowed three runs, and Denard Span had three hits, scored one run and drove in the other for the Wings. Rochester, losers of six of their last eight games, dropped into third place by a percentage point behind Buffalo. In the wild card race, Richmond's comeback win over Durham moves the Braves three games ahead of Rochester.

Poor defense cost the Wings in the first. With one out, a line drive over the head of Darnell McDonald in right field went to the wall for a double, then a weak single through the right side put runners on the corners. However, Blackburn fired back and induced what appeared to be a vintage doubleplay ball to second base. But instead of ending the inning, a costly error by Matt Tolbert allowed a run to score.

Blackburn threw 28 of his first 31 pitches for strikes through the first three innings. Scranton righty Jeff Karstens struck out two and gave up two hits over the first two innings.

In the third, Gil Velazquez singled through the left side of the infield, bringing Span to the plate. Span lofted a hit to right field that went off the base of the wall. A hustling Velazquez scored from first on a close play at the plate and Span made it to third on the throw home. Tolbert looked to atone for his first inning error and hit a fly ball deep enough to score the speedy Span, giving the Wings a 2-1 lead.

The Yankees tied the score with one out in the fifth. Andy Cannizaro was hit by a pitch, on a play when he made no attempt to avoid Blackburn's pitch. Wil Nieves laced a triple to the gap in right-center, bringing in Cannizaro to make it 2-2.

In the top of the seventh, Kevin Thompson homered to deep center off Blackburn to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead. The Wings had a great opportunity against reliever Ross Ohlendorf in their half of the seventh. Matt Macri singled and moved to second on a passed ball. Luis Rodriguez sliced an opposite field single to put runners at the corners with none out. But Velazquez popped out, and Span smoked a shot that almost made it through the infield, but instead became an inning-ending double play,

The missed scoring chance hurt even more when Scranton added a run off Jerome Williams in the eighth, on an RBI single by Bronson Sardinha. In the bottom of the eighth, one-out singles from McDonald and Chris Heintz prompted a pitching change with Jose Veras coming in to face Lew Ford. Ford grounded to third to force McDonald, but Jose Morales drew a walk. Macri followed with a sharply hit ball to third, with Angel Chavez making a slick play to get a force out at second to stifle another scoring threat.

Jay Sawatski allowed a run in the ninth while striking out two, and Brad Baker came in to get the final out and keep the game at 5-2.

NOTES: The Wings end the season series with a 10-5 record against the first place Ynakees...Morales went 1-for-3, bringing his league-leading average to .323.....The Twins called up 3B Brian Buscher from his rehab assignment with the Wings, after placing INF Tommy Watkins on the DL...LHP Glen Perkins made a rehab start for Double-A New Britain Thursday, pitching three innings and allowing two runs, two hits and four walks while striking out three. Perkins also gave up a pair of home runs in a game won by Connecticut 11-3. ... 0-for-8 RISP, 0-for 14 last two games

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International League Stories from August 23, 2007


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