By: Mike Rose
ROCHESTER, N.Y.– It took until the eighth for the Rochester Red Wings offense to get on the board but the rally ultimately fell short as they fell to the Worcester Red Sox, 6-3. Rochester faced off with a Triple-A rookie in staring pitcher Grant Gambrell but they failed to take advantage as he went 5.2 scoreless innings allowing two hits and issuing four walks with five strikeouts.
"Well, first time for guys seeing the pitcher it's different from what we see in the reports. Guys had to make some adjustments and the first time through guys just weren't familiar with him. I would hope we could make adjustments earlier than the fifth inning but that's baseball," acting Red Wings Manager Billy McMillon said.
Red Wings outfielder Cody Wilson said Gambrell's two-seam fastball gave the team trouble throughout his 5.2 innings of work.
After a scoreless opening two frames from both starters, the Red Sox got to Jackson Rutledge in the third on a home run from Niko Kavadas. In the fourth, it was a bases-clearing two-out double from Ceddanne Rafaela that opened up a 4-0 advantage for Worcester. Rutledge would work a clean fifth and exit with seven strikeouts on the night.
"Rutledge got us five and that is what we are hoping for. The box score is going to say it wasn't a good night but he did well tonight I think," McMillon said.
Luis Cessa and Amos Willingham kept Rochester within striking distance until they broke through in the eighth. After two quick outs, Jake Noll drilled a base hit to left followed by a walk from Erick Meija and an RBI single from Richie Martin that cut the margin to 4-1. Brady Lindsly worked a walk and then it was Wilson who cashed in with a critical two-run single to make it a one-run game.
"I knew a new pitcher was coming and he had a good fastball and I knew he was probably going to throw it first pitch so I was sitting on a fastball and hit it up the middle," Wilson said.
It was a two-hit night for Wilson who returned to Rochester on August 3 after a stint with High-A Wilmington.
Worcester was not going to let another one slip away however as they tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the ninth to put the game out of reach. The loss gives Worcester (30-19, 69-55) at least a split in the series as they take a 3-2 edge into the final game Sunday afternoon. Rochester (22-27, 56-66) will send Roddery Munoz (0-2, 8.83) to the mound while the Red Sox will send Brandon Walter (1-5, 5.05) for the start on Sunday. First pitch at Innovative Field is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.
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