STAFF REPORTS
The Syracuse Chiefs edged the Rochester Red Wings 3-2 Thursday night at Frontier Field. The teams meet again Friday night at 7:05 p.m., with Breakin’ B-Boy McCoy performing during the game, and fireworks after the game.
Both teams were quiet throughout the first three innings, with Syracuse acquiring just three hits off of Aaron Slegers, while Rochester’s lone hit was a single courtesy of Engelb Vielma.
In the bottom of the fourth, Zack Granite singled up the middle off of A.J. Cole, which extended Granite’s hitting streak to eight games. Granite, who also came into the game with a three-game stolen base streak, was caught stealing during the next at-bat.
The Chiefs were able to score first in the top of the sixth, as Slegers allowed three runs on four hits to give Syracuse the lead, 3-0.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Red Wings cut into the Syracuse lead. After back-to-back singles to start the inning by Vielma and Granite, both runners advanced on a groundout, putting two runners in scoring position with one out. Matt Hague launched a sacrifice fly, allowing Vielma to score and putting Rochester on the board, still trailing 3-1. During the next at-bat, Cole delivered back-to-back wild pitches, allowing Granite to score and cut further into the Syracuse lead, 3-2.
After getting two outs in the top of the seventh, Slegers gave up a walk before being pulled in favor of Michael Tonkin. In his 6.2 innings pitched, Slegers allowed eight hits and three runs (all earned), with three walks and four strikeouts on 106 pitches, 71 for strikes.
Cole worked 7.0 innings and gave up six hits and two earned runs. He did not walk a batter, struck out five, and threw 97 pitches – 67 for strikes.
The Wings put together an eighth inning rally against reliever Matt Grace. With one out, Vielma singled for his third hit of the game, and Granite followed with a double to put runners at second and third. A pair of groundouts stranded the runners and sent play to the ninth inning.
Ryan Pressly pitched the ninth inning. He allowed hits to the first two batters he faced, then struck out the next three batters.
The Chiefs out-hit the Wings 11-9.
