Berrios fans 9 for hot Wings

The Wings open a three-game series with the Durham Bulls (Rays) Monday night at 7:05 p.m., with former Bills star Darryl Talley signing autographs before the game. Complete promotions details below…

The Red Wings brought a four-game winning streak (with five wins in their last eight games) into Sunday’s game, with top pitching prospect Berrios on the mound. Norfolk, losers of four straight and eight of 10, had Joe Gunkel on the hill; Gunkel had a 3.12 ERA in eight road starts coming into Sunday. Berrios was sharp in the first inning, striking out the side in the top of the first on 13 pitches.

The Red Wings picked up a pair of hits and a walk off Gunkel in the bottom of the first, but a double play almost helped the Tides escape any damage – until Adam Brett Walker laced a double down the left field line, scoring Daniel Palka for a 1-0 lead. The Wings were 37-14 when scoring first this season before Sunday.

Berrios worked himself into a bit of trouble in the top of the second by giving up a base hit and issuing two walks. But he was able to rebound thanks to a nice pick-off play with Wilfredo Tovar followed by his fourth strikeout of the game.

The Red Wings were able to extend their lead to 2-0 in their half of the second thanks to three straight singles with two men out. John Ryan Murphy started the two-out rally with a single, followed up by a hit from Tommy Field, which was his second on the day. James Beresford capped it off with a single that scored Murphy from second. The hit also extended Beresford’s hit streak to six games.

The Wings added another run in the third inning thanks to a pair of miscues from the Tides. Palka scored his second run of the day to extend the lead to 3-0 on a Buck Britton grounder to first that turned out to be the second error of the inning for Norfolk. The Red Wings loaded the bases in the inning, but were unable to score any further runs in the inning.

In the top half of the fifth the Tides had a lead-off double from Audry Perez. Berrios then retired the next two batters he faced, but Ozzie Martinez smoked a single into left to give Norfolk runners on first and third with two men out. Berrios was able to work himself out of danger by picking up his eighth strikeout of the afternoon to end the inning.

In the bottom half of the sixth the Tides made a pitching change bringing in right-hander Scott McGough, who replaced Gunkel. Gunkel finished his afternoon pitching five innings giving up three runs (two earned), seven hits and two walks while striking out two. He threw 85 pitches and 58 of them were for strikes.

The Red Wings made a pitching change of their own in the seventh inning, replacing Berrios with lefty Buddy Boshers. Berrios finished his afternoon throwing six innings, allowing just four hits, no runs and two walks while punching out nine. He ended up throwing 95 pitches and 64 of them were strikes.

Boshers struck out one in a scoreless inning, and Marcus Walden pitched the eighth. Walden had not allowed a run in his previous 13.1 innings pitched, but quickly put himself into a bases loaded, none out situation. A single by Trey Mancini went just past a diving Field at third base, bringing in two runs and making it a 3-2 score. That put an end to Walden’s streak and day on the mound, and Sean Burnett took Walden’s place. Burnett was able to work around danger picking up a strikeout and some nice defense behind him as Walker gunned out the tying run at the plate to end the inning keeping the Wings lead intact at 3-2.

J.T. Chargois took over for Burnett in the top of the ninth. Chargois worked a perfect ninth inning thanks in part to another nice play from Walker, this time making a running catch that looked like a sure double in the left center gap. Berrios was credited with the win making him 9-4 on the season and Chargois picked up his seventh save on the season. Gunkel picked up the loss for Norfolk making him 5-8 on the year.

Each team had eight hits in the game.

NOTES: 
Class A Cedar Rapids infielder Zander Wiel is the Twins minor league Player of the Week…Wiel appeared in five games for the Kernels, hitting .444 (8-for-18) with one double, three home runs, 12 RBI, four walks and six runs scored…in 83 games for the Kernels this season, he is hitting .246 (80-for-325) with 18 doubles, five triples, 10 home runs, 51 RBI and 43 runs scored…the Tennessee native was drafted by the Twins in the 12th round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of Vanderbilt University.