Redwings Rally Past RedSox, Snap Skid With 7-5 Victory

By Christopher Drummond

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Red Wings bounced back in dramatic fashion Saturday afternoon, defeating the Worcester Red Sox 7–5 to snap a three-game losing streak and even their footing in the series.

Rochester came out aggressive early against Worcester pitching. Dylan Crews opened the scoring with an RBI single, and moments later Yohandy Morales delivered the game’s first big swing — a three-run home run to right-center field. The blast, Morales’ fifth of the season and second of the series, gave Rochester a commanding 4–0 lead through three innings.

On the mound, Andrew Alvarez set the tone early, striking out four batters in the first three innings. He would go on to tally six strikeouts over five innings, throwing 99 pitches — just shy of his career high.

Worcester, however, chipped away. Allan Castro ignited the comeback in the fourth inning with a two-run homer that cut the deficit to 4–2. An inning later, Nathan Hickey added a solo shot to bring the Red Sox within one.

The game turned in the sixth. Following a defensive miscue by Phillip Glasser, Worcester capitalized with two runs to take a 5–4 lead — a familiar scenario for Rochester after Friday’s late-inning collapse.

This time, the Red Wings responded.

In the bottom half of the inning, Abimelec Ortiz crushed a two-run home run to reclaim the lead at 6–5. Ortiz’s fifth homer of the season added to his team-leading RBI total, continuing a strong stretch at the plate. Shortly after, Andrés Chaparro provided a key insurance run with a solo blast, tying him with Morales and Ortiz for the team lead in home runs at five apiece.

Rochester’s bullpen held firm from there. After struggling in Friday’s loss, Eddy Yean delivered a clean ninth inning to secure his fourth save of the season.

“I’m really proud of the guys for how they responded after three tough losses,” Redwings manager Matthew LeCroy said. “They came ready to play and battled. When we lost the lead, you could kind of feel that ‘here we go again,’ but to answer right back was huge. And Chaparro’s home run gave us the cushion we needed.”

In roster news, right-hander Orlando Ribalta was called up to the Washington Nationals, while Shawn Dubin returned to the mound for the first time in over a month, tossing a scoreless inning.

With the win, Rochester positions itself for a potential series split. The finale is set for Sunday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m.