STAFF REPORTS
Stephen Gonsalves dominated in his return to the Red Wings rotation Tuesday night as he tossed 7.2 scoreless innings in a 2-0 win over the Pawtucket Red Sox at McCoy Stadium in Rhode Island.
The only base runners the southpaw allowed was a one-out single to Jordan Betts in the second inning and an eighth inning leadoff walk to Mike Olt. In between, he retired 17 straight batters.
Gonsalves struck out five Paw Sox over his 92-pitch Wings season debut.
Gonsalves, after struggling a bit in spring training, opened the season with Double-A Chattanooga where he posted a 3-0 mark with a 1.77 ERA in four starts. The 23-year-old went 1-2 with a 5.56 ERA in five games (four starts) with the Wings in 2017.
Kennys Vargas provided the only offense the Wings would need with a long home run to right in the fifth inning. The homer snapped an 86-inning long ball drought for the Wings dating back to April 20. Vargas now has three of Rochester’s eight home runs this season.
Vargas wasn’t in Joel Skinner’s original lineup but entered in the top of the third as a pinch-hitter for leadoff man Nick Buss.
After the two-out homer, Leonardo Reginatto singled to right and moved to second on a balk before Jake Cave doubled him home to give the Wings a 2-0 lead.
Alan Busenitz got the last out of the eighth before working a scoreless ninth to preserve the win for Gonsalves.
The Wings (10-10) – who have now won three straight games – face former Red Wing Marcus Walden in the series finale on Wednesday afternoon. Rochester counters with Myles Jaye (0-1, 6.59) in the matinee.
WINGS THINGS: Earlier in the day, Gregorio Petit had his contract selected by Minnesota and Dietrich Enns was designated for release or assignment…The Wings added INF Sean Miller and C Wynston Sawyer to the roster from Double-A Chattanooga
