Wings Fall in Series Finale against Lehigh Valley
IL Rochester Red Wings

Wings Fall in Series Finale against Lehigh Valley

Published on July 5, 2026 under International League (IL)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


To conclude what was an eventful six-day stretch of baseball, the Rochester Red Wings (6-6, 51-33) wrapped up the homestand against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (6-6, 41-46), with a 5-3 loss in the series finale Sunday afternoon. RHP Chandler Champlain put in 5.0 innings and limited the IronPig offense to just two runs over the course of his mound duties, keeping the Red Wings within reach on Sunday's series finale. DH Abimelec Ortiz notched his 16th home run of the season, a solo shot that kicked off the scoring for Rochester.

The game came alive for the IronPigs offensively in the top of the second, as 1B Keaton Anthony singled on a ground ball to left field. A walk to 3B Otto Kemp moved Anthony over to second, bringing DH Payton Henry to the plate. Henry did not slow Lehigh Valley's momentum, as he sliced a single through the left field gap, loading the bases. CF Steward Berroa then reached first on a fielder's choice, scoring Anthony while adding one out on the inning. During the next at-bat, C Rene Pinto hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Kemp to add another to the IronPigs' lead, 2-0.

The Red Wings' scoring began in the bottom of the third. Abimelec Ortiz blasted a solo shot on a 0-2 slider over the center field fence for his 16th of the season, shortening the IronPigs' lead to 2-1.

Rochester's scoring continued the next time the offense came onto the field. To lead off the bottom of the fourth, C Harry Ford singled on a 1-0 pitch to center field. CF Andrew Pinckney singled on a hard-hit ball to the shortstop, who couldn't complete the throw to second in time. Keeping the bats hot, RF Joey Wiemer singled on a 0-1 sinker that snuck through the center of the infield, scoring Ford and evening the score at two. Rochester then took a 3-2 lead, courtesy of a sacrifice fly by LF Trey Lipscomb that brought Pinckney home.

After three scoreless innings, Lehigh Valley delivered an equalizing run in the eighth via an RBI single driven in by LF Felix Reyes. 2B Robert Moore reached home on Reyes' ground ball to left field after having been walked, and Christian Cairo reached second, who had previously been walked as well. Following a pitching change, RF Tommy Pham made it three walks to load the bases with one out. The Red Wings avoided further damage thanks to a double play preventing a run at home and a baserunner out at third, keeping the game tied up at three.

The IronPigs poured on two additional unanswered runs in the ninth inning with a sequence of events that began with a DH Payton Henry single to left field, followed by Steward Berroa logging an infield single of his own, sending Henry to second. Shortly after, PH Bryan De La Cruz subbed in and immediately walked, threatening the Red Wings with bases loaded. Robert Moore took advantage of the opportunity presented to him with an RBI single sent to right field, allowing both Henry and Berroa to score, and sending De La Cruz to second. De La Cruz made it to third after a sacrifice bunt from Christian Cairo, also allowing Moore to reach second. Felix Reyes would go on to walk, creating another set of loaded bases for Lehigh Valley. Following a pitching change, the Red Wings were able to avoid a larger deficit after getting out of the half inning with a double play, being down 5-3.

In the ensuing half-inning, Lehigh Valley closed the series out with the final score of 5-3, taking the series four games to two.

California native Chandler Champlain made his 16th appearance of the season on Sunday. In 5.0 innings of work, he allowed two runs on three hits, threw four strikeouts, and logged the ninth pickoff of his Triple-A career. LHP Konnor Pilkington replaced Champlain in the sixth. In his first 2026 appearance for the Wings, the 2025 Rochester southpaw pitched 1.0 hitless inning, while adding one strikeout. LHP Tom Cosgrove came in to pitch 1.0 hitless inning of his own in what was also his Red Wings debut. RHP Jack Sinclair replaced Cosgrove in the eighth. In twelve pitches thrown, Sinclair allowed one run on one hit while walking two. LHP Zach Penrod subbed out Sinclair in the exact inning. In 1.0 inning of work, the southpaw did not allow a run or hit and walked one batter. RHP Gus Varland replaced Penrod in the ninth inning. In his second appearance for Rochester, Varland put in 0.1 of an inning and allowed two runs on three hits while walking two batters. RHP Robert Cranz replaced Varland and finished the inning without any damage.

The Rochester Red Wings Player of the Game is RHP Chandler Champlain. Throwing 5.0 innings, the right-handed pitcher allowed only two earned runs on three hits and a walk. Champlain struck out four while facing 18. His total strikeout count on the season is now just two shy of the 50-count mark.

The Red Wings will use their scheduled off day on Monday to travel to Massachusetts to face the Worcester Red Sox. In game 88 of the season, Rochester will begin the road trip on Tuesday with the first pitch slated at 6:45 p.m.

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International League Stories from July 5, 2026


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