STAFF REPORTS



ROCHESTER — The Rochester Red Wings dropped a 4-3 contest to the Columbus Clippers in 10 innings Saturday afternoon at Frontier Field. The series continues with a 1:05 p.m. game Sunday.
Red Wings righty Aaron Slegers was given the start, and in the top of the second inning, an RBI double by Yu-Cheng Chang gave Columbus a 1-0 lead.
In the following inning, an RBI single from Francisco Mejia gave the Clippers additional insurance with a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third inning against Clippers starter Adam Wilk, the Red Wings found a spark of life at the plate thanks to Nick Buss. He singled for his second hit of the game, and scored on an RBI single from Leonardo Reginatto.
While the Red Wings put runners on base in the fourth and fifth innings, but each inning ended in a double play.
After a double from Mejia in the sixth inning, Columbus added onto their lead with a sacrifice fly from Brandon Barnes for a 3-1 lead.
Slegers was lifted after allowing a double in the seventh inning. Slegers worked 6+ innings, allowing seven hits on three earned runs with four strikeouts. He threw 85 pitches, 63 for strikes.
Nick Anderson made his fourth appearance of the season in the seventh inning, and made the most of his opportunity. Anderson allowed a single to the first batter he faced, then set down the next three Clippers batters.
Wilk pitched 7.0 innings, allowing six hits and an earned run with two walks and three strikeouts. Wilk threw 92 pitches, 57 for strikes.
Against reliever Evan Marshall in the eighth inning, the Wings tied the game at 3-3. An infield hit by Reginatto and a single by Jake Cave tied the score and put runners at the corners with just one out.Kennys Vargas worked Marshall for a walk to load the bases, prompting another pitching change and Neil Ramirez coming out of the bullpen. Ramirez caught Jermaine Curtis looking at a third strike for the second out, then went to a full count on Taylor Featherston before getting a swinging strike three to end the rally.
Mason Melotakis came on to work the ninth inning, after Anderson allowed two hits while striking out three in two innings. Melotakis stranded a pair of runners to get out of a jam and send the game to the bottom of the ninth still tied 3-3. 
The game went to the 10th inning, with the new extra inning rule that begins each half inning with a runner at second base. The Clippers quickly turned that into a first and third situation after a single, then Melotakis struck out Eric Haase. A safety squeeze brought home a run and a 4-3 Clippers lead. 
In the Wings’ half of the 10th against Ben Taylor, Gregorio Petit started out at second base. Taylor struck out Buss, got a groundout by Reginatto, then fanned Cave to end the game. 
Winning Pitcher: Ramirez (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Melotakis (1-1) 
Save: Taylor (1) 
Box Score – Click here for the box score and play-by-play narrative.
NOTES: OF Zack Granite (right shoulder) was placed on the disabled list before the game Saturday.