Wings Slug Their Way to Series Victory in Charlotte
IL Rochester Red Wings

Wings Slug Their Way to Series Victory in Charlotte

August 3, 2025 - International League (IL)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


The Red Wings and Charlotte Knights finished off their six-game series on a rainy Sunday evening at Truist Field. Looking to seal a series victory in the finale, the Wings kept their bats hot, powering their way by the Knights 12-7, while crushing four homers. Rehabbing RF Dylan Crews and 1B Andrés Chaparro each logged a homer and a double, and 3B-LF Trey Lipscomb picked up three hits in Sunday's finale.

The Knights got going in the bottom of the first with a leadoff walk from 2B Vinny Capra, who moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Rehabbing 1B Tim Elko then drove a high fly ball, which banged off the right field wall for a double, moving Capra to third, and putting two runners in scoring position for C Korey Lee. The backstop brought Capra home on a sacrifice fly to right, giving Charlotte a 1-0 lead.

The Knights' lead didn't last long, as in the top of the second DH Andrew Pinckney took the first pitch he saw the other way, over the right field wall for a solo homer. Pinckney's 17th of the season travelled 365 feet, and was his 12th to the opposite field or straightaway center. 2B Jackson Cluff followed up Pinckney's blast by driving a ball over the right field wall for a homer of his own. The BYU product's 384-foot blast marked the first time the Wings have notched back-to-back homers since May 30 vs. Columbus (Pinckney/Schnell), and gave the Wings a 2-1 lead. Rochester wasn't done there, however, as Trey Lipscomb legged out an infield single, and C Francisco Mejía reached on an error, putting two on with still nobody out in the frame. Two batters later, CF Christian Franklin drew a walk to load the bases. After a pop-out, LF Nick Schnell drew a walk, bringing in another run, to give the Red Wings a two-run lead.

SS Jacob Amaya led off the bottom of the second with a drive to right center field, which hit off the wall for a leadoff double. LF Dru Baker moved Amaya to third on a single, and swiped second base two batters later. A throwing error on the steal attempt brought Amaya home from third, trimming the Rochester lead to 3-2.

The Wings dipped into their bullpen in the bottom of the fourth, and took care of the first two Knights batters in the inning. But with two outs, Vinny Capra grounded a double down the left field line. RF Will Robertson then drove Capra in with a single, tying the game, 3-3.

The Red Wings responded in the ensuing half inning, as Andrés Chaparro deposited a ball over the left field wall for his third homer of the series. The Venezuelan-born slugger's 12th homer of the season travelled 404 feet at a launch angle of 18 degrees, giving the Wings a 4-3 lead.

Charlotte tied the game right back up in the bottom of the fifth, as 3B Brian Ramos unloaded on a ball, sending his 13th homer of the season out to left. The Cuban-born infielder's homer traveled 413 feet and tied the game at four.

Rochester took the lead right back in the top of the sixth, as Jackson Cluff led off with a walk, and Trey Lipscomb roped a ground-rule double down the left field line. SS Nasim Nuñez hit a high-hopping ground ball towards third base, which resulted in an infield single that scored Cluff. Lipscomb then scored on the next pitch on an error on a steal attempt, moving Nuñez to third. Christian Franklin walked and then swiped second base, putting two in scoring position for Dylan Crews. The former second overall pick sent a towering fly ball over the center field wall for a three-run homer, padding the Wings' lead and making it 9-4.

The Red Wings tacked on another in the top of the seventh as Trey Lipscomb roped a one-out double for his third hit of the day, and was moved to third on a fly ball from Francisco Mejía. Nasim Nuñez walked, and Christian Franklin slapped a line drive into right, bringing home Lipscomb, and making it 10-4 Red Wings.

The Knights looked to find an answer in the bottom of the seventh, as Jacob Amaya and Dru Baker drew back-to-back walks with one out. Vinny Capra then sprayed a ball into left field, scoring Amaya from second and trimming the Rochester lead to 10-5. Two batters later, Tim Elko repeated what Capra had done earlier, scoring Baker on an RBI single of his own. At the end of the seventh inning, the Wings held a 10-6 lead.

After setting the Wings down 1-2-3 in the top of the eighth, Andre Lipcius was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the eighth for the Knights. Brian Ramos drew a walk, and Dominic Fletcher roped a ground ball single to right field, loading the bases. Two batters later, Dru Baker then put a single into left of his own, cashing Lipcius, and making it a 10-7 ballgame. With the bases loaded, Vinny Capra shot a ground ball down the line that Jackson Cluff snared at third base, who stepped on the bag and threw to first to end the inning, taking away multiple runs from the Knights.

With the Wings looking for some extra insurance, Jackson Cluff led off the top of the ninth inning with a walk. Two batters later, Nasim Nuñez slapped his second hit of the night the other way to left, moving Cluff to third. Christian Franklin then logged his second RBI single of the contest, lining a ball up the middle to score Cluff. Back-to-back walks issued to 2B J.T. Arruda and Nick Schnell brought home another, bringing the Red Wing lead to 12-7.

Down to their final three outs, Will Robertson led off the bottom of the ninth for Charlotte with a single up the middle. However, a double play and a strikeout quickly quelled the Knights' rally, sealing a series victory for the Wings, as Rochester beat Charlotte 12-7 in the finale.

LHP Andrew Alvarez got the nod as the Wings starter, making his 21st start of the season. The Cal Poly product turned in 3.0 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits, while walking four, and striking out five. RHP Michael Cuevas came on in the fourth, going 0.2 of an inning, surrendering one run on three hits and one walk, while striking out one. RHP Seth Shuman was called on, going 1.1 innings, giving up a run on two hits, while striking out two. RHP Mason Thompson came on in the sixth, turning in 1.1 innings while giving up two runs on two hits, walking two, and striking out a pair. RHP Holden Powell was called out of the bullpen in the seventh, going 1.2 innings, striking out two, while surrendering a run on three hits. RHP Parker Dunshee closed the door on the Knights, allowing one hit and striking out one in his scoreless frame.

Rehabbing Washington National RF Dylan Crews earns Sunday evening's Player of the Game honors, going 2-for-4 with a three-run homer, as well as a double, as he clinched his first multi-hit game of his rehab assignment. The LSU product's sixth-inning homer travelled 408 feet and was clocked at 106.8 off the bat. In 54 Triple-A games over the last two seasons, Crews has logged 23 extra-base hits while bringing in 34 RBI.

The Wings will take an off day on Monday and travel to Norfolk, VA, for the first time since April of 2023, to face off in a six-game series with the Norfolk Tides. First pitch of game one from Harbor Park is slated for 6:35 on Tuesday night.

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