On Sunday Rochester Red Wings starter Pat Dean dominated the Syracuse Chiefs with eight innings of six-hit, one-run ball in a 6-4 win. Monday night it was Taylor Rodgers turn to guide his team to victory, this time a 6-1 win over the Columbus Clippers. The left-hander completely dominated the contest, sending the club to their third straight win.

Both Rodgers and Columbus starter Nick Maronde dominated the International League game in the early going. Rodgers allowed just three walks through the first four innings of the game, while Maronde allowed a first inning single, a second inning double, and a fourth inning walk. Both pitchers were in complete command, and neither offense seemed to have an answer as to how to break the stranglehold the two pitchers had over the game.

In the top of the fifth the Clippers were finally able to break the scoreless tie. With one out, Destin Hood recorded the first hit that the Red Wings starter would allow, a triple to the rightfield alley. Adam Moore then hit a ball deep enough into right to score Hood and just like that Columbus had the lead.

Maronde had been dominant over the Rochester hitters through the first four innings, but in the fifth the long ball became his undoing. Eric Farris singled with one out, and one out later Doug Bernier hit his first home run of the season, a ball that barely cleared the left field wall. Eddie Rosario then followed with a single, and Reynaldo Rodriguez increased the Red Wings lead with another shot over the leftfield wall. It was Rodriguez’s first homer of the season as well.

The three-run lead was plenty enough for Rodgers. The lefty gave up a single in the sixth to Jesus Aguilar, but he was wiped out by a double-play. Aguilar was the last Clippers batter to reach base, as the Rochester starter mowed down the side in the seventh and eighth innings. In the ninth he gave way to A. J. Achter, who struck out the first two batters, before getting a flyball out to end the game.

While the four runs were plenty enough for Rodgers on this night, the offense did add two more runs in the bottom of the eighth.  With Kyle Crockett on the hill, Brock Peterson led off the inning with his fourth home run of the year, a shot over the centerfield wall that made it 5-1. The Red Wings then strung together back-to-back-to-back hits by Jose Martinez, Danny Ortiz, and Farris, with Farris’ hit driving home Martinez to close out the scoring.

Rodgers (2-0) night was an outstanding one, striking out four, walking four and allowing just two hits. The outing lowered his ERA to 2.00 and was his third outstanding start out of four this season.

The three home runs hit by the Rochester Red Wings was a season high for a single game. Martinez had three hits extending his hitting streak to five games (.360 during the span). Rodriguez two-run home run extended his hitting streak to 12-games.

These two teams will go at it again tomorrow. Game time is scheduled for 6:35 ET.

Boxscore Provided by MiLB.com

By Robert Pannier