Rochester Red Wings Game Notes - Thursday, April 26 vs. Syracuse
April 26, 2012 - International League (IL1)
Rochester Red Wings News Release
THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012 w FRONTIER FIELD
GAMES #19, 20 - HOME GAMES #11, 12 - 11:35 A.M.
SYRACUSE CHIEFS (5-13) at ROCHESTER RED WINGS (9-9)
LHP ZACH DUKE (1-1, 6.60) vs. RHP COLE DEVRIES (0-1, 2.87)
RHP ERIK ARNESEN (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP JEFF MANSHIP (1-0, 0.82)
LET'S NOT HIDE UNDER A ROC: The Rochester Red Wings today play a getaway-day doubleheader, wrapping up their 3-game series against Bryce Harper and the Syracuse Chiefs (Nationals). The Red Wings tomorrow hit the road for 8 games, including 4 at Buffalo (Mets) and 4 "at" the Empire State Yankees at Frontier Field.
a Rochester last night began a stretch of playing a season-high 28 days in a row through May 22 (barring any rainouts).
a The Red Wings' first 39 games are within the IL North Division, a stretch that runs through May 14.
ROSTER NEWS: The Minnesota Twins yesterday signed Joe Thurston to a minor-league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Rochester. The infielder, who is wearing No. 19, was released by the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday. He batted .207 with one double, one homer, 2 RBI, and 7 walks in 11 games with Lehigh Valley.
a The Red Wings' roster currently has 22 active players, 3 shy of the maximum allowed.
WE'LL TAKE IT: At 9-9, the Red Wings are off to their best start since the 2007 club went 14-4 in its first 18 games. The Wings have spent all but 2 days at or above the .500 mark. They were 5-6 on April 15 after a 3-1 loss at Lehigh Valley and 7-8 on Thursday after a 5-3 setback at the Empire State Yankees.
a With 9 wins, the Red Wings have already matched their win total from April of last year with 6 games remaining. The Wings' next win in April would give them their most in the season-opening since 2008, when they were 13-14.
a Rochester has gone 18 games into the season without playing extra innings, the longest such streak since 2003, when the Red Wings played 11 innings in their 31st game May 7 at Durham (Rays). The Wings won 4-3 that day.
DOUBLING BACK: The Red Wings played 8 doubleheaders in 2011, including 4 at Frontier Field, going 2-3-3. Rochester last swept a doubleheader August 26, 2011 at Syracuse, winning 2-0 and 3-2. Rochester last suffered a doubleheader sweep July 9, 2011 at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees), falling 9-0 and 6-4.
a Rochester's last doubleheader sweep at Frontier Field came July 22, 2009, defeating Pawtucket (Red Sox) 5-0 and 6-1. The Wings last got swept in a doubleheader at home June 20, 2011 vs. Charlotte (White Sox), losing 7-2 and 5-1.
a The Wings also have a doubleheader scheduled for July 8 vs. Lehigh Valley, a make-up of Saturday's postponed game.
HOME BODIES: The Red Wings are nearing the end of a stretch that ends today of playing 16 of their first 20 games at Frontier Field. Rochester is also playing 30 of its first 46 contests (65 percent) at Frontier through May 22, including all 8 of the "road" clashes with the Yankees.
a The Wings are 5-5 in home games and 7-6 at Frontier Field overall. Rochester last year went 3-7 in their first 10 home games and 5-8 in their first 13 contests at the downtown ballpark.
NO WAY!: Jeff Manship, who starts the 2nd game of today's doubleheader, becomes the first pitcher outside the Opening Day starting rotation to make a start for the Red Wings. The 27-year-old is making his first start since being part of a combined no-hitter July 6, 2011 vs. Lehigh Valley (Phillies). He struck out 4 and walked 2 in 4.0 innings that night and did not figure in the decision in the Red Wings' 7-0 victory.
READY TO GO ON A RUN: The Red Wings have scored an International League-low 57 runs in 18 games, averaging 3.2 runs per contest. The Wings last night lost for the first time in 6 games when scoring 4 or more runs.
a Rochester has scored in the first inning in both of the last 2 games (3 total) after going 7 straight contests without turning the trick. The Wings have outscored the opposition 8-5 in the first inning overall. On the pitching side, the Wings have allowed just one run in the first inning in the last 8 games.
a Rochester has hit just 7 home runs all year, tied for the league low with Durham (Rays). The Wings have just one homer in the last 9 games, courtesy of Michael Hollimon April 19 at Empire State.
PRESTIGIOUS HARDWARE: The Red Wings are in the midst of the heated battle for the Thruway Series Cup, a 3-team race for the best record in upstate New York among Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse. Here are the standings of the Hillside Family of Agencies Thruway Series (Cup standings include only games against one another):
Rank Team Record Win %
1. Rochester .571
2. Buffalo .571
3. Syracuse .333
THIS DATE IN BASEBALL HISTORY: In 1997, Cubs second baseman and current Lehigh Valley (Phillies) manager Ryne Sandberg homers in Chicago's 7-6 win vs. Pittsburgh. The homer is Sandberg's 267th as a second baseman=82 breaking the record held by Hall of Famer Joe Morgan for most home runs at the position.
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