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IL1 Rochester Red Wings

Sweet Sweep: Wings Top Clippers 6-2

June 16, 2016 - International League (IL1)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


Jorge Polanco drove in four runs, backing a solid start from Jason Wheeler as the Red Wings beat the Columbus Clippers 6-2 Thursday afternoon at Frontier Field. The first place Wings improved to 40-27 with the win, sweeping the three-game set from Columbus and now have a five-game win streak.

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Wheeler faced just three batters in the top of the first, while dealing with a single and a throwing error. Here's what happened: with one out, Ronny Rodriguez put down a bunt toward third base. Stephen Wickens made a nice bare-handed pick up, but his throw to first base was wild. The play was scored an infield hit and an error. Rodriguez then tried to steal, third base, but was thrown out by a perfect throw from catcher Carlos Paulino to Wickens. Wheeler got a flyout to end the frame.

Wheeler's teammates were successful with their first inning scoring bid. Danny Santana led off with a single, stole second base, went to third on a hit by Wilfredo Tovar, and scored on a fielder's choice hit by Polanco for a 1-0 Wings lead. Clippers' starter Ryan Merritt worked out of trouble after walking Kennys Vargas by getting two straight outs to end the inning.

Wheeler worked fast through the first two batters of the second inning, but allowed a single to Yandy Diaz after striking out Guillermo Quiroz on three pitches. One batter later, Collin Cowgill popped out to end the inning.

Adam Brett Walker started things off in the third with a sharp liner to third that was nearly fielded by Diaz, but he managed to beat the throw to make it to first base. Carlos Paulino then singled to right field, but the Wings couldn't capitalize on the early baserunners as three straight batters popped out to center field. In the bottom of the third, Eddie Rosario made a spectacular sliding catch in center field to record the second out of the inning. Wheeler continued to pitch well, as he threw only 37 pitches through his first three innings.

Despite giving up an early run, Merritt was solid to start the game. He limited the Wings to four hits through the first three innings while striking out one batter. The Clippers offense, on the other hand, couldn't mount any sort of momentum early in the game. Wheeler cruised through the top of the fourth without allowing a baserunner, and recorded six straight outs in the process after a hitless third.

In the bottom of the fourth, Tommy Field led off by grounding out to Diaz, who made a nice bare-handed play to record the first out of the inning. After Walker grounded out to shortstop, Merritt made a quick grab on a grounder up the middle to finish off the inning.

The top of the fifth was more of the same for Wheeler, as he again recorded three straight outs while picking up his third strikeout on the day.

Santana picked up his second hit of the day to give the Wings their first baserunner since the second inning. Tovar then singled to left field, and Polanco broke things open with a three-run homer to left field to extend the Wings lead to 4-0. The home run was Polanco's third of the season.

Wheeler started off the sixth inning with a quick out, but allowed his first hit since the second to Yhoxian Medina one batter later. Erik Gonzalez then grounded into a double play to end the inning.

After a lineout to second base, Wheeler struck out two batters in the seventh for his fourth and fifth strikeouts of the day.

Merritt (4-5) went six innings while allowing four earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and one walk. He threw 102 pitches, 63 for strikes. Merritt was replaced by right-hander Shawn Armstrong in the bottom of the seventh.

Armstrong worked two straight outs to start the seventh, but then walked Tovar, who later stole second base. The Wings couldn't capitalize, however, as Polanco popped out to third to end the inning.

Wheeler's shutout came to an end in the eighth after Quiroz launched a solo home run to put the Clippers on the board at 4-1. Wheeler then walked Diaz, but struck out Cowgill and Bryson Myles for his sixth and seventh punchouts of the day. After walking Yhoxian Medina, Wheeler was replaced by right-hander J.T. Chargois. Wheeler (5-1) continued his impressive season by going 7.2 innings while allowing only two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. He threw 106 pitches, 68 of which were for strikes.

Gonzalez then hit an RBI single to center field to decrease the Clippers' deficit to 4-2. Chargois got Ronny Rodriguez to pop out in foul territory to end the inning.

Armstrong was replaced by left-hander T.J. House in the bottom of the eighth. After recording a quick out, Rosario singled up the middle for his first hit of the day. He has now reached base in 12 straight games. House was replaced by right-hander Jeff Johnson, who yielded a two-run homer to Field for a 6-2 Wings lead. It was the fourth homer of the season for Field.

Chargois set down the side in the ninth, striking out two, to pick up his fifth save.

NOTES: Twins INF/OF Danny Santana went 2-for-4 and played right field and shortstop Thursday, in the third game of his rehab assignment with the Red Wings...The win improves the Wings' home record to 22-13, and the team brings an 18-14 record into the roadtrip that begins Friday night in Toledo.

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