Adams 11th-Inning Blast Lifts Wings Over Indians

The Rochester Red Wings picked up their second win of the series in Indianapolis Saturday night, 7-4 in 11 innings. DH Matt Adams launched an 11th-inning, two-run shot to propel the Wings to their ninth extra-inning win of the season. Five relievers, including Triple-A debuts from RHP Jack Sinclair and RHP Orlando Ribalta, combined to hold the Indians scoreless through the final 7.2 innings.

The Red Wings struck first in the top of the second inning. 1B Frankie Tostado walked and moved to second after a single by 2B Jeter Downs. The next batter, C Brady Lindsly smacked a three-run home run over the right field wall, his fourth homer with Rochester, to give the Red Wings a 3-0 lead.

The Indians tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. 2B Nick Gonzales led off the inning with a single, and the next batter RF Canaan Smith-Njigba doubled to left field and drove in Gonzales to make it a 3-1 game. Later in the inning, 1B Aaron Schakelford walked and brought in Smith-Njigba to make it a 3-2 game. CF Matt Gorski scored on a walk to tie the game 3-3.

The Red Wings regained the lead in the top of the fifth inning. After a pair of walks from SS Richie Martin and 3B Jack Dunn and a single by LF Darren Baker loaded the bases, CF Derek Hill drove in Martin on a double play to give the Red Wings a 4-3 lead.

The Indians tied the game with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. After a walk to Aaron Shackleford, SS Vinny Capra grounded into a fielder’s choice to Wings SS Richie Martin, and the subsequent throw to first base sailed over the head of 1B Frankie Tostado. Capra came around to score on another throwing error as he slid into third, tying the game at four apiece.

After both teams failed to score in the 10th, Rochester came to bat in the top half of the 11th. Hill tripled to right field and brought home Dunn to take a 5-4 lead. The next batter, DH Matt Adams launched a two-run homer over the right field wall, his 17th home run of the season, to give the Red Wings a 7-4 lead. After a single from PH Greg Koch put runners at the corners with one away in the bottom half, a double play secured the win for Rochester.

RHP Daniel Mengden got the start for the Wings Saturday night, tossing 3.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits while walking three and striking out six. RHP Odalvi Javier came in relief and went 1.2 scoreless innings, allowing one hit while walking four and striking out three. RHP Holden Powell followed Javier, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings, allowing one hit while walking one and striking out one. RHP Jack Sinclair came in to pitch in the eighth, allowing no runs while walking one and striking out three. RHP Junior Fernandez pitched the ninth, allowing one unearned run while walking one and striking out one. RHP Orlando Ribalta tossed two scoreless innings allowing one hit while walking one and striking out one.

Sinclair and Ribalta both made their Triple-A debut’s tonight, and are the 81st and 82nd players to suit up for Rochester this season, setting a franchise record of 81 set in 2022.

Saturday night’s Diamond Pro Player of the Game Honors go to DH Matt Adams. The lefty launched a two-run homer in the 11th to lift Rochester to the win, finishing the night 2-for-5. The home run was his 17th of the season, and third in the month of September. He has collected five hits in 17 at-bats (.294) through four games played in this series.

Rochester returns to action one final time Sunday afternoon. LHP Mitchell Parker is set to make his third career Triple-A start, facing Indians RHP Max Kranick for the second time this series. First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m.

Find the box score attached here.