STAFF REPORTS
John Ryan Murphy’s two-out hit helped the Rochester Red Wings to a 5-3 win over the Indianapolis Indians before a Memorial Day crowd of 9,593 Monday afternoon at Frontier Field. The Wings return home on June 5 to open a series with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees).
Aaron Slegers started strong for the Red Wings, retiring eight batters in a row to start the game. Throughout the first three innings of play, both teams were quiet with their bats as Rochester and Indianapolis combined for just three hits.
In the top of the fourth, Slegers delivered a walk to Max Moroff with one out. Two batters later, with one on and two outs, Elias Diaz put the Indians ahead with a two-run home run, for a 2-0 lead.
Rochester bounced back in the bottom of the inning, as Matt Hague led off and collected his second single of the afternoon off Drew Hutchinson, followed by a Mitch Garver walk. After both runners advanced on a balk, Niko Goodrum knocked a single into right to cut the Indianapolis lead in half, 2-1. Goodrum now has currently on a eight-game hitting streak and an nine-game on-base streak.
In the top of the sixth, with a runner on third and one out, Jason Rogers singled to add to the Indianapolis lead, 3-1.
Hutchinson did not come out to pitch for the Indians the bottom of the sixth inning as his day was done after five innings of work. In those five innings he allowed five hits, one run (earned), four walks, one balk and struck out five on 90 pitches-57 for strikes.
Slegers finished the afternoon with six innings pitched, while giving up six hits, three runs (all earned), one walk, one wild pitch and delivering seven strikeouts on 101 pitches, with 66 of those pitches for strikes.
In the eighth inning, back-to-back doubles with one out by Garver and Goodrum brought the Wings to within a run at 3-2. J.B. Shuck walked, then John Ryan Murphy drilled a 1-2 pitch for a single. Goodrum scored the tying run, and Shuck hustled home after outfielder Danny Ortiz bobbled the ball to allow the Wings to take the lead. Bengie Gonzalez laced a double to bring in Murphy for a 5-3 advantage.
Michael Tonkin pitched three innings in relief of Slegers to pick up the win. Tonkin struck out Barrett Barnes with a runner on base for the final out of the game. The Red Wings out-hit the Indians 9-7.