STAFF REPORTS
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Pawtucket Red Sox topped the Rochester Red Wings 7-2 on Wednesday night in front of 6,849 fans at Frontier Field. The series concludes with the biggest Plates Night of the season Thursday night at 7:05 p.m.
Pawtucket struck first in the top of the third inning off Red Wings starter Fernando Romero after Mike Miller worked a walk to begin the inning. With one out, a single from Oscar Hernandez put runners on the corners, setting up Tzu-Wei Lin for an RBI single to give the Sox a 1-0 lead. With two outs, Sam Travis recorded an RBI single that increased the Pawtucket lead to 3-0.
Tyler Duffey relieved Romero to begin the top of the fourth inning. The starter allowed three runs on four hits while walking one and striking out two over three innings of work. He threw 55 pitches, 34 for strikes.
In the bottom of the fifth, Brandon Phillips increased the PawSox lead to five after hitting a two-run home run against Duffey, scoring Tony Renda who tripled in the prior at-bat. After allowing a pair of runners into scoring following the home run, Duffey worked out of trouble by retiring the final two batters of the inning.
In the sixth, the Wings went to Ryne Harper after Duffey allowed two runs on four hits over two innings of work.
Rochester tacked a run onto the scoreboard in the sixth against Pawtucket starter William Cuevas after Willians Astudillo singled with one out. On the play, Astudillo made his way to second on a throwing error from Cole Sturgeon, allowing for Kennys Vargas to double home the run and make the score 5-1.
Pawtucket got to Harper in the seventh, scoring a pair of runs on a double from Ivan De Jesus that increased the PawSox lead to 7-1.
Matthew Gorst came on to relieve Cuevas who tossed six innings allowing just one run on five hits. He added six strikeouts to the outing as well while throwing 67 strikes on 96 pitches.
After allowing a pair of runners to reach base in the eighth, John Curtis came on for Harper who was charged with two earned runs over three innings while adding a pair of strikeouts.
Nick Gordon helped the Wings plate their second and final run of the game in the bottom half of the eighth inning after reaching second base on a throwing error from Pawtucket first basemen John Ockimey. Vargas then singled home Gordon for his second RBI of the game, cutting the Pawtucket lead to 7-2. After adding his second hit and RBI of the game, Vargas increased his batting average to .365 (15-for-41) with 15 RBI over his last 10 games.
Winning pitcher: Cuevas (9-7)
Losing pitcher: Romero (5-5)
Save: None
Losing pitcher: Romero (5-5)
Save: None
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