There is no surrender in the Rochester Red Wings. The club continues to find ways to win each night, this time turning a sacrifice bunt into a run to move the club just a game out of first in the North Division of the International League. The win was the seventh in the last 10 for the Red Wings, and evened the series with Norfolk at one a piece.

T.J. McFarland started for the Norfolk Tides and Taylor Rogers for the Rochester Red Wings. Both pitchers were in complete command early on in the game. The visitors had just four hits through the first five innings of the game, as Rogers pitches had a real bite to them, making it hard for the Tides hitters to make adjustments.

McFarland was also in command, allowing just a single run through the first five frames. That came in the fourth, when Reynaldo Rodriguez doubled with one out. One out later Eric Fryer grounded to the Norfolk third baseman, on a play that should have ended the inning, but his throw got away allowing Rodriguez to score.

In the sixth Norfolk finally got onto the scoreboard. Back-to-back singles by Christian Walker and Chris Parmelee put runners at first and second with no one out. Dariel Alvarez was then hit by a Rogers pitch to load the bases. One out later Jayson Nix laced a double into centerfield which cleared the bases, giving the Tides the 3-1 lead.

Nix was then picked off by Rogers for the second out, and Audry Perez grounded out to end the inning. Nix was the second runner of the game that was picked off of a base. In the fourth it was Alvarez who was caught leaning toward second when the Rochester starter threw over to first. Rogers showed that his pitches to the plate are not his only throws that are lethal to opponents.

The Red Wings got one back in the bottom of the sixth. McFarland retired the first two batters of the inning, but then walked Brock Peterson and Fryer. That would be it for McFarland as Pat McCoy entered the game. Jose Martinez greeted the reliever with a single that scored Peterson, and the Red Wings were trailing by just a run.

McCoy remained on the hill for the bottom of the seventh, the inning Rochester tied the score. Argenis Diaz led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice by Eric Farris. Aaron Hicks then flied deep to leftfield, moving Diaz to third. That brought up Eddie Rosario who laced a ball toward the hole near second. Nix made a fine play to knock the ball down, but he had no play, and Diaz came home to tie the game.

It remained that way into the ninth inning. Both clubs’ bullpens were pitching effectively. The crowd of 6,072 at Frontier Field was hoping the home team would pull out a big victory in the ninth. They would not have to wait long.

Doug Bernier lined a Pedro Beato offering down the line in leftfield, and legged it out to put himself in scoring position at second base. Diaz then laid down a beautiful bunt that Beato leaped off the mound to make a play on. He looked quickly to see if he had a play at third and, realizing he did not, threw to first. The ball sailed on him and down the rightfield line. Bernier came around to score and the Rochester Red Wings came away with the 4-3 win.

Lester Oliveros (1-0) earned his first win of the season, with 1.1 innings of no-hit relief. Rogers went 7 innings, allowed 7 hits, 2 walks, and 2 earned runs, while striking out 5. McFarland pitched 5.2 innings, allowed 3 hits, 2 walks and an earned run. Beato (2-1) took the loss.

Diaz finished the day 2-3 with a run scored. Fryer was 2-3 with two doubles and a walk.

These same two teams will go at it again tomorrow at 1:35 local time. Zach Davies (1-0) goes for the Norfolk Tides, while Alex Meyer (1-1) takes the hill for the Rochester Red Wings.

Boxscore Provided by MiLB.com

By Robert Pannier