Looking for win number four in a row on a hot Friday night, the Rochester Red Wings (37-23) took the field for game four of their away trip in Allentown against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (28-33). Despite an early lead, the IronPigs jumped ahead in the sixth and never looked back, handing the Red Wings their first loss of the series by a score of 4-2. RF Robert Hassell III logged Rochester’s only extra-base hit of the night, finishing with two hits and an RBI. LF Andrew Pinckney extended his career-high on-base streak to 20 games with a pair of hits in the losing effort.
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After three and a half scoreless innings, Lehigh Valley found home plate first in the fourth with a sequence that began with a DH Bryan De La Cruz walk. Shortly after, CF Christian Cario shot a soft grounder to third for a single, sending De La Cruz to second. Following a wild pitch, the two base runners were able to advance into scoring position. Another wild pitch allowed De La Cruz to jog home to put the IronPigs up 1-0. Rochester was able to avoid a larger deficit following a double play, entering the fifth down one run.
The Red Wings responded in the ensuing half-inning after LF Andrew Pinckney logged an infield single, then proceeded to steal second. Pinckney was immediately invited to scamper home after Robert Hassell III smashed an RBI double to right field, tying the game at 1-1. C Tres Barrera continued his productive series with a line drive single to center field, sending Hassell III to third base. Following a mound visit, Rochester continued its answer after DH Phillip Glasser popped out on a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Hassell III to cross the plate, making it 2-1 Red Wings.
The IronPigs had a response of their own in the bottom of the fifth inning, after 2B Robert Moore sent a sharp double to left field. RF Gabriel Rincónes Jr. sent Moore home after an RBI double to left field, equalizing the score at two runs apiece.
One inning later, Lehigh Valley took the lead after LF Otto Kemp sent a single to right field, followed by an identical hit by Bryan De La Cruz. After a sacrifice bunt by Christian Cairo, Kemp was able to reach third, and eventually found his way home by tagging up after 3B Carter Kieboom popped out on a sacrifice fly, breaking the tie at 3-2.
Lehigh Valley extended the lead to two runs after Otto Kemp continued his productive evening with a homer to begin the bottom of the eighth. Rochester came to bat in the ensuing half-inning in search of a pair of runs to stay alive, but were unable to cross the plate and fell for the first time in the series, 4-2.
RHP Luis Perales started on the mound for Rochester this evening. The Venezuelan native did not allow a run in 3.1 innings of work and threw three strikeouts while allowing one hit and a pair of walks. LHP Zach Penrod replaced Perales in the fourth inning. The former Boston Red Sox southpaw allowed one run on three hits, while throwing a strikeout on seven batters faced. RHP Seth Shuman came in to pitch in the sixth. The Georgia Southern alum allowed one run on three hits and threw 12 strikes on 17 pitches. Southpaw PJ Poulin replaced Shuman in the seventh and allowed one run and one hit, and threw one strikeout on six batters faced and 1.2 frames.
The Rochester Red Wings Player of the Game is RF Robert Hassell III. The former San Diego Padres farmhand provided Rochester's biggest boost on offense on Friday night with an RBI double in the fifth. Away from ESL Ballpark this season, Hassell III is hitting .293 (29-for-99) with six doubles and 12 RBI in 26 games.
Rochester will go into the weekend with two games remaining in Lehigh Valley, with a chance to win their fifth consecutive series Saturday night beginning at 6:35 P.M. It will be the tale of two righties to begin game four, as Rochester will bring in RHP Andry Lara for his 11th start, and RHP Alan Rangel will take the mound for Lehigh Valley.
Find the box score attached HERE.
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