Wings Fall to RailRiders, 6-5

The Rochester Red Wings fell to the Scranton/WB RailRiders, 6-5, in game three of the six game set. The Wings’ two runs came from home runs off the bats of RF Travis Blankenhorn and 3B Erick Mejia. A three-run seventh inning from the Wings tied the contest, with two RBI singles from LF Darren Baker and 2B Luis Garcia, and an RBI off a ground out from 1B Jake Noll. LHP Alex Troop made his 2023 Triple-A debut, in his first appearance with the Wings since 9/22/2022.

Both teams remained scoreless until the bottom of the second inning when SS Wilmer Difo reached on a fielding error with loaded bases, plating LF Franchy Cordero. RailRiders’ 3B Oswald Peralta followed in the next at bat with a two-run single, driving in 2B Jamie Westbrook and CF Brandon Lockridge to bring the score to 3-0. Scranton extended the lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the third with a home run from 1B Andres Chaparro, followed by a run scored by DH Carlos Navarez after CF Brandon Lockridge grounded into a double play.

The Wings continued to try and join the RailRiders on the board, but were unable to cross the plate until RF Travis Blankenhorn launched his 16th homer of the year in the fourth, a solo shot that cut the deficit to 5-1. 3B Erick Mejia followed suit in the fifth inning, launching the Wings’ second long ball of the game, bringing the score to 5-2.

Rochester came back to tie the game, plating three runners in the top of the seventh inning. CF Jack Dunn runs in to score off of a single from LF Darren Baker, immediately followed by 3B Erick Mejia, scoring on an RBI single from 2B Luis Garcia. 1B Jake Noll then grounds into a forced out with bases loaded, bringing in LF Darren Baker for the tying run. After the trio of runs, the Wings improved to a -5 run differential in the seventh after the three posting tonight.

The RailRiders responded and retook the lead over the Wings with an RBI double from DH Carlos Navarez that plated C Austin Wells, making it a 6-5 ballgame. The Wings made an attempt to come back, ultimately falling to Scranton.

LHP Alex Troop started on the mound for Rochester in his return to Triple-A, working 3.0 innings, allowing four earned and striking out two. RHP Luis Reyes and RHP Luis Cessa came in on relief to work the final five innings of the contest, allowing a combined one earned on four hits while striking out five.

Thursday night’s Diamond Pro Player of the Game was awarded to 1B Jake Noll after recording the game-tying RBI in the seventh. Noll has now collected 15 RBI in his 22 games played.

The Wings return to action Friday evening at PNC Field where the Red Wings will face off against RailRiders’ RHP Clayton Beeter (1-2, 7.04). First pitch is set for 6:35 pm.

Find the box score attached here.