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ROCHESTER — The Syracuse Chiefs and Rochester Red Wings split a Sunday afternoon doubleheader at Frontier Field.
The Wings got home runs from Ben Paulsen and Tommy Field in a 10-6 game one win, but the Chiefs used three homers to take the second game 7-6 despite a pair of home runs from Daniel Palka.
Game #1: Red Wings, 10 – Chiefs, 6
Syracuse scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning against Wings starter Jason Wheeler, on Brandon Snyder’s RBI double.
The Wings answered with a productive bottom of the first inning against Syracuse starter Austin Voth. Tommy Field led the way with a pop up single that fell in front of the left fielder Snyder and Field later stole second base, his first steal of the season. Kennys Vargas worked a walk and Daniel Palka hit an RBI single to left field scoring Field. Mitch Garver picked up a hit of his own after beating out a dribbler down the third base line, loading the bases. Ben Paulsen hit a three RBI double, clearing the bases and giving the Wings a 4-1 lead.
The offense stayed hot in the second inning for Rochester. J.B. Shuck singled before Field hit his second home run of the young season, a two-RBI shot to left center to give the Wings a 6-1 lead.
In the third inning, Leonardo Reginatto hit a run-scoring single to bring home Garver, boosting the Wings’ lead to 7-1. Voth was done after three innings, having allowed seven earned runs on nine hits, with a walk and three strikeouts. Voth threw 72 pitches,46 for strikes.
The Chiefs made the score 7-2 in the top of the fourth inning, on a run-scoring single by Joey Butler that was just out of the reach of shortstop Bengie Gonzalez.
Field and Matt Hague worked consecutive walks in the bottom of the fourth. Vargas would hit a three run home run, his second of the season, bringing the lead to 10-2.
Syracuse scored in the top of the fifth after a wild pitch by Wheeler, making the score 10-3.
Wheeler pitched 5.0 innings and allowed seven hits, three earned runs, two walks and four strikeouts. He threw 90 pitches, including 54 strikes.
Alan Busenitz came on for relief in the top of the sixth and the Chiefs scored three runs after a bases loaded double by Clint Robinson, bringing the Red Wings lead to 10-6
Trevor Hildenberger was called upon to get the final three outs of the game, notching two strikeouts.
Field made the defensive play of the game, a diving snag of a line drive by Rafael Bautista with a runner on base for the final out of the second inning.
Game #2: Chiefs, 7 – Red Wings, 6
Red Wings starter Aaron Slegers struggled in the first inning, as the Chiefs strung together six hits – including a two-run home run by Brandon Snyder – for a 4-0 lead.
Rochester chipped away at the deficit in the bottom of the second against Chiefs starter Taylor Hill. Kennys Vargas led off with a single and scored after an RBI double by Daniel Palka. Two batters later Niko Goodrum hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Palka from third and bringing the score to 4-2.
Slegers pitched consecutive scoreless innings, but ran into trouble in the top of the fourth giving up an RBI single to Jhonaton Solano making the score 5-2. Buddy Boshers was brought in with two runners on and got a groundout to end the inning.
Slegers pitched 3.2 innings allowing 11 hits, five earned runs, one walk and six strikeouts. He threw 92 pitches, 65 for strikes.
Palka led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run projected at 445 feet, cutting the deficit to 5-3.
Raul Fernandez took over on the mound for the start of the fifth inning, making his Red Wings home debut.
Fifth inning solo homers by Adrian Sanchez and J.B. Shuck made the score 6-4 with the Chiefs still in the lead, and the Wings pushed for more in the fifth. With runners at first and second and two outs, Matt Grace came out of the bullpen to face Palka – who delivered an RBI single that brought the Wings to within a run at 6-5.
The Chiefs added a run on a solo home run by Matt Skole making the score 7-5, and Alex Wimmers took over for Fernandez on the mound.
Wings catcher John Ryan Murphy was ejected by home plate umpire Dan Merzel during an at-bat in the sixth inning, with a count of 1-2.
Palka homered off Joe Nathan in the bottom of the seventh inning, his second of the game and fourth of the season. Ben Paulsen followed with a single to put the tying run at first with two outs, but Nathan got a long flyball out from Goodrum to end the game.
