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IL1 Rochester Red Wings

Wings Break Out of Slump, Top Chiefs

April 14, 2008 - International League (IL1)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


Monday 4/14/08 WINGS BREAK OUT OF SLUMP, TOP CHIEFS Brian Buscher had two hits, two runs scored and two RBI, and Tommy Watkins scored three times to spark the slumping Rochester offense, helping the Red Wings to a 9-4 win over the Syracuse Chiefs Monday night at Frontier Field.

Rochester starter Brian Duensing brought a hard-luck 0-2 record into the game, despite a fine 2.31 ERA in his first two starts. Syracuse's Josh Banks saw a lot of the Wings in 2007, and liked what he saw: he posted a 3-2 record and a 2.67 ERA over five starts against the Red Wings last season. Syracuse entered Monday's game with a league best 2.94 staff earned run average. Add in the fact that the clubs had the second- and third-lowest team batting averages in the league, and the game was set up to be a pitcher's duel.

Duensing got three fast groundball outs in the first inning; Banks retired the first two Rochester hitters he faced, then allowed a single to Buscher. But Banks struck out Garrett Jones to end the first.

The Chiefs reached Duensing for a pair of runs in the second, when Chip Cannon stroked a two-out, two-run single to make it 2-0 Syracuse. The Wings got a run back in the third, after Watkins led off with a single. Jason Pridie delivered an RBI hit to bring the Wings to within a run at 2-1; the run ended a 10-inning scoreless streak for Rochester.

Russ Adams clubbed his second home run of the season off Duensing to lead off the Syracuse fourth, a shot that glanced off the foul pole in right field.

The Wings put together a rally in the fifth, after Watkins led off with a walk. Chris Basak followed with an infield hit, on a ball that third baseman Sergio santos couldn't come up with. Alexi Casilla flew out, and Jason Pridie worked Banks for a walk to load the bases for Buscher. Banks got ahead of Buscher, who then fouled off four pitches before Banks hit Buscher with a pitch on the back. Watkins came home to make it 3-2 to bring up Jones, fighting an 0-for-18 slump. Jones scorched the first pitch from Banks, and second baseman Pedro Lopez couldn't come up with the ball for an error. Basak scored, Pridie hustled to score from second, and Jones reached second base safely with a slide. When the smoke cleared, the Wings led 4-3. Howie Clark tripled to the gap in right-center on an 0-2 Banks pitch, plating both Buscher and Jones. Matt Macri's double drove in Clark to cap a six-run outburs! t, resulting in a 7-3 Rochester lead.

Duensing worked into the sixth, getting a pair of outs before walking Adams. Julio DePaula entered and quickly retired Santos on the first pitch.

The Chiefs picked up a run off DePaula in the seventh, when Chip Cannon scored on a fielder's choice by Wayne Lydon. The Wings quickly recovered on a home run by Buscher into the Wings bullpen to lead off the seventh inning.

Carmen Cali came in to pitch for Rochester in the eighth and ran into trouble, loading the bases with one out. Closer Bobby Korecky relieved Cali, and induced an inning-ending double play to escape the jam. A quick ninth earned Korecky his first save of the season.

NOTES: The Wings played errorless ball after struggling defensively this season. Watkins and Pridie made outstanding defensive efforts on flyballs late in the game. Pridie travelled from shallow straightaway centerfield to the wall in leftcenter to get his glove on a ball hit by Chip Cannon in the seventh. Watkins cradled a looper down the line in foul territory toward left, but could not hang onto the ball when he hit the ground...Outfielder Darnell McDonald will be activated from the disabled list and available for Tuesday's doubleheader against Richmond at Frontier Field. McDonald has been on the disabled list since Opening Day with a strained lower back. Last season McDonald batted .307 with four home runs and 54 RBI between Columbus and Rochester. Rochester has a roster spot and will not need to make room for McDonald....RHP Danny Graves was activated from the Red Wings disabled list Saturday and optioned to Class A ! Ft. Myers. Graves made his first appearance for Ft. Myers yesterday, allowing three runs on four hits in 2.0 innings of work. Graves was 4-5 with a 3.90 ERA and 33 saves for the independent Long Island Ducks in 2007; he has recorded 182 big league saves, including 41 for the Reds in 2004...In the first inning, a hard hit foul ball off the bat of Casilla struck first base coach Randy Ruiz in the leg. Ruiz limped off the field and was replaced in the coaching box by Jon Knott; Ruiz returned to coach later in the game.

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