STAFF REPORTS
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Lehigh Valley IronPigs used a pair of home runs to top the Rochester Red Wings 6-2 Saturday night at Frontier Field. The series wraps up with a 1:05 p.m. game Sunday, another Knot Hole Kids’ Club game and kids can run the bases with Spikes and Mittsy after the game – plus a post-game helicopter candy drop as part of the Wings’ Halloween event.
The Red Wings got on the board in the bottom of the second, as IronPigs starter Enyel De Los Santos surrendered a solo home run to Chris Carter, giving Rochester an early 1-0 lead. It was Carter’s seventh homer since joining the Wings May 25.
Lehigh Valley retaliated in the top of the third, as Wings starter Aaron Slegers gave up a two-out walk to Dean Anna. The following batter, Collin Cowgill, hit an infield single which turned into a throwing error by Slegers that allowed both base runners to advance. The bases were then cleared through a three-run home run by former Wing Trevor Plouffe that gave the IronPigs a 3-1 lead.
Rochester wasted no time cutting into their deficit in the bottom of the fourth, as LaMonte Wade led off the inning with a single. Two batters later, Zack Granite ripped a single down the third base line that allowed Wade to score from first, decreasing Lehigh Valley’s lead to 3-2.
In the top of the fifth, the IronPigs added onto their lead, as Plouffe started the inning off with a walk. After a ground rule double by Joey Meneses, a sacrifice fly by Matt McBride allowed Plouffe to score, giving Lehigh Valley a 4-2 lead.
Slegers worked six innings, allowing four hits and four earned runs with three walks. He struck out a season-high eight batters, and threw 92 pitches – 57 for strikes. Gabriel Moya pitched the seventh and eighth innings, allowing one hit.
De Los Santos, who earned wins against the Wings in two starts earlier this season, allowed seven hits, two earned runs, and two walks over 6.0 innings pitched Saturday. De Los Santos did not strike out a batter, and threw 96 pitches – 62 for strikes.
In the ninth, Red Wings reliever John Curtiss allowed a walk to Logan Moore, and the bases were then cleared on a two-run home run from Damek Tomscha, giving the IronPigs a 6-2 lead.
Byron Buxton went 0-for-3 with a walk, and Jorge Polanco was 1-for-3 with a walk as part of their major league rehab assignments.
Winning pitcher: De Los Santos (8-3)
Losing pitcher: Slegers (5-6)
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