By: Brayden Peters
BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Buffalo Bisons couldn't find a way to extend their 2-1 series lead over the Rochester Red Wings, as they fell 8-4. Rochester's offense exploded in the seventh to help them get the victory after being tied 2-2 going into the inning. The Red Wings scored six runs while hitting the ball five times. Discipline was also good from the Red Wings' batters that inning, as two batters were walked while another was hit by a pitch.
Rochester's offensive rampage was gradual in the seventh. With the bases juiced, Hernandez walked two batters to give the Red Wings a 4-2 lead. The Red Wings began to pour it on starting with a two-run single from Brady House and then, Drew Millas drove in Andrés Chapparo on a single to extend the lead. Chapparo got walked to get on base. It didn't end there as Alu singled to drive in House, giving the Red Wings an 8-2 lead.
"We just want to make sure that we're getting good pitches," Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy said. "We got really good counts. He (Adrian Hernandez) had a loss the other night. He got a 3.00 ERA, but we tend to have his number right now and we stuck with our approach to make sure we get a good fish to hit."
It was a collaborative effort on offense from the Red Wings. Dylan Crews, Jack Dunn, Jake Alu and Drew Millas had a multi-hit game, as all four players recorded two hits apiece. They made up six of Rochester's 11 hits. One of Crews' hits went the distance for a dinger.
He wasn't the only one to hit a dinger as Andrés Chaparro hit one in the eighth inning. It marks as his fourth home run in four consecutive games.
"What I'm excited about is he looks like he changed some things with his position that's allowed him to hit," LeCroy said. "Stay more on the ball a bit longer, hit more balls into the gap, more balls to center field. It's neat to me that he's a better hitter."
The Bisons had a shakeup in their roster before going into today's game. Outfielder Cam Eden was traded to the New York Yankees for cash considerations. The loss of Eden will impact the Bisons, as he was a threat defensively and as a base runner. He has 200 put outs this season along with 26 stolen bases. Last season, he set the Bisons' modern-era record for stolen bases with 53.
"I mean he's going to get an opportunity over there and maybe get an opportunity to get to their major league squad and help them in a pennant race, which they're in and it's good for Cam," Candaele said. "I've known him and he's a great kid and he's done a lot of great things here. He's, you know, not just on the baseball side but as a human being, he's a very good person. So, it was sad to see him go..."
Buffalo's offense was productive, but couldn't translate their hits into runs. They ended the day with nine hits. Jonatan Clase and Rafael Lantigua both hit two apiece to combine for a total of two hits. With his performance today, Lantigua increased his hitting streak to eight games.
"I mean, yeah, we need to do a little bit more damage, but, you know, we're having competitive at bats and getting in positions to score runs," Bisons manager Casey Candaele said. "We have to do the samething every day and be consistent in what we do, which is grind out at bats and get pitches to hit and, you know, get those good at bats when guys are in scoring position."
Andrew Alvarez got the start on the mound for Rochester. In 5.1 innings, he threw seven strikeouts while surrendering five hits, two earned runs and a base on balls. The bullpen threw a combined five hits while giving up four hits and two earned runs. Adonis Medina was credited with the win.
The pitching unit for Rochester received some help on defense. Dunn, who played shortstop for this game, had six assists.
Paxton Schultz was given the start at pitcher for the Bisons. In 3.0 innings pitched, he threw a strikeout while surrendering two hits and two walks. He currently leads his team in strikeouts with 52 for the season.
"I think it just speaks for the work that I've put in," Schultz said. "To sort of see that happen and turn the tables, it's been really big for me."
Although the Bisons bullpen threw a combined five strikeouts, they gave up nine hits, 10 earned runs and five base on balls. Hernandez gave up five earned runs and was credited with the loss. Hernandez has struggled as of recent. In Buffalo's 10-5 loss to Rochester in the first game of the doubleheader on Wednesday, he threw a strikeout while surrendering two runs, one earned and three walks in 1.1 innings pitched.
The Bisons broke the scoreless tie early in the first inning as Damiano Palmegiani doubled to drive in Will Wagner, who was acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays in the Yusei Kikuchi trade with the Houston Astros. Wagner got on base after singling. With the RBI, Palmegiani has hit the 50 RBI mark for the season.
Buffalo extended their lead in the second inning thanks to Max McDowell. He hit a sac-fly to right fielder Joey Gallo, allowing Josh Kasevich to cross home plate. Kasevich got a walk to get on base and stole second base, marking his first stolen base in his Triple-A career.
The Red Wings were finally able to get on the board in the fifth inning. Crews crushed the ball out towards right field for a two-run homer, tying the game two apiece.
Buffalo was able to respond in the seventh thanks to Clase. He doubled to allow Lantigua to score, cutting Rochester's lead to 8-3. Joey Votto proceeded to hit a sac-fly with the bases loaded, sending Gabriel Cancel home to score.
Chaparro helped the Red Wings add some insurance to their lead as he hit a dinger out towards left field in the eighth inning. Alu then got a sac-fly that allowed Millas to score, extending Rochester's lead to 11-4. The Bisons attempted to comeback in the ninth, but three batters were retired to secure the win for the Red Wings.
The Bisons drops to a 53-58 overall record and are now 16-21 in the second half. They currently sit in seventh in the IL East and are now 2-2 in the series against Rochester. The Red Wings improve to 59-51 overall and are 21-16 in the second half. They sit in third in the IL East.
Buffalo will hope take the series lead when they host Rochester on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. It is unknown who will start on the mound for the Bisons while for the Red Wings, it will be Brad Lord (2-1, 3.72) getting the start. He is coming off a 2-0 loss last Saturday against the Omaha Storm Chasers. In 5.2 innings pitched, he threw four strikeouts while allowing four hits, two runs and two walks.
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