Red Wings Drop Third-Straight Against Ironpigs

Sports stats



IL Rochester Red Wings

Red Wings Drop Third-Straight Against Ironpigs

April 4, 2025 - International League (IL)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


A day after playing in their first doubleheader of the season, the Rochester Red Wings fell to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs for the third consecutive time Friday night, 9-2. Eight of nine Red Wings starters picked up a hit in the contest, led by LF Darren Baker with two. 2B Trey Lipscomb was responsible for both runs via an RBI single in the fourth.

The IronPigs came ready to swing it in the first inning, pushing across three runs in their first turn at bat. Leadoff hitter 3B Otto Kemp laced a 110.9 MPH line drive into the left-center field gap for a double. CF Cal Stevenson kept things going with an infield single, moving Kemp to third. With runners on the corners, C Payton Henry grounded out to second base, which pushed across the first run of the ballgame and moved Stevenson to second. RF Óscar Mercado kept the offense rolling with a single to center field that allowed Stevenson to come around and score from second in the next at-bat. Mercado then proceeded to steal second base during DH Josh Breaux's at-bat, who eventually reached on an error that allowed Mercado to score from second and cap off a three-run half inning.

Download the Red Wings Rewards app today, use code Chris_P_Bacon for 25 extra points, and start winning exciting prizes! App Store | Google Play

After 2.5 innings of scoreless baseball, the Red Wings finally got themselves into the run column in the bottom of the fourth. DH Franchy Cordero worked a lead-off walk but was forced out at second on a 1B Juan Yepez fielder's choice to second base. With Yepez on first, C Drew Millas singled to right field, moving Yepez to third. The speedy backstop stole his first base of the season to put two runners in scoring position for 2B Trey Lipscomb. The former Tennessee Volunteer split the first and second basemen for a single into right field, scoring both Yepez and Millas to make it a 3-2 Lehigh Valley lead after four innings.

The IronPigs extended their lead immediately in the top of the fifth inning, when Otto Kemp launched a solo home run to center field, extending Lehigh Valley's lead to 4-2 after five innings.

After a scoreless bottom of the fifth for the Red Wings, Lehigh Valley came out swinging once again. Payton Henry led off the inning with an infield single, which was followed by Christian Arroyo reaching base safely on a fielder's choice. On the play, Henry moved up to third and Arroyo to second on a throwing error. Óscar Mercado was up next and pushed across Henry on a sacrifice fly to left field. Two batters later, 2B Rafael Lantigua doubled off the left field wall, pushing across Arroyo from second base. A passed ball in the next at-bat moved Lantigua to third, and was followed by a SS Rodolfo Castro walk to put runners on the corners. Castro stole second base, which was followed by a LF Matt Kroon single into center field, allowing both Lantigua and Castro to score and make it an 8-2 IronPigs lead going into the bottom of the sixth inning.

Once again, the IronPigs pushed across another run in the top of the eighth inning with a lead-off home run from Óscar Mercado. Lehigh Valley took a commanding 9-2 lead going into the home half of the eighth.

The score remained the same heading into the Red Wings final turn at bat in the bottom of the ninth. Franchy Cordero laced a two-out single through the right side, but was stranded at first in the next at-bat to seal a 9-2 Lehigh Valley win.

LHP Andrew Alvarez took the ball for Rochester in his second start of the 2025 campaign for the Red Wings. The Anaheim, California native tossed 5.0 innings and allowed three earned, on five hits, with six strikeouts, and no walks. RHP Daison Acosta entered in relief to start the sixth inning. He finished with 2.0 innings pitched, allowing two earned runs, on two hits, striking out one, and walking two. RHP Carlos Romero entered in the eighth and finished the game for the Red Wings. The Venezuela native turned in 2.0 innings pitched, giving up one earned run, on one hit.

Friday night's Player of the Game goes to 2B Trey Lipscomb. The Maryland native finished the night going 1-for-4, with two RBI, the Red Wings' only runs of the night. In 15 games played against Lehigh Valley in his career, the Maryland native has collected 17 hits in 57 at-bats (.298), including a hit in nine of his last 10 games.

The two teams will meet for the fifth time in a six-game series Saturday afternoon. Rochester will send RHP Andry Lara to the mound for his second start of the year and first start of his career at Innovative Field, against IronPigs RHP Mick Abel. The first pitch is slated for 1:05 p.m.

Check out the Rochester Red Wings Statistics

• Discuss this story on the International League message board...

International League Stories from April 4, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Rochester Red Wings Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central