Will Middlebrooks' home run rallied the Pawtucket Red Sox to a 4-3 win over the Red Wings Friday night at Frontier Field. The Wings return to Frontier Field to play the Empire State Yankees on Monday at 7:05 p.m.
Rochester starter Cole DeVries had two runners on with only one out in the first inning Friday, but a nifty double play turn by Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Brian Dozier erased the scoring threat.
The Red Wings quickly cashed in on their own opportunity in the bottom of the first against veteran right-hander Aaron Cook. Dozier drilled a one-out double, extending his hitting streak to eight games. Aaron Bates drew a walk after Joe Benson's ground out moved Dozier to third base, and Dozier scored on a passed ball to put the Wings ahead 1-0. Matt Carson's RBI single scored Bates from second base and it was 2-0 Rochester after one inning.
Pawtucket entered the scoring when Alex Hassan led off the top of the third with a double, reducing Rochester's lead to 2-1. Nate Spears moved Hassan over to third on a sacrifice fly. Hassan scored with two outs on an error by Bates.
In the bottom of the fourth Mike Hollimon powered a solo home run, his first of the season, to right field to put the Wings ahead by two, making the score 3-1.
DeVries pitched five innings surrendering one hit, one unearned run, and two walks while striking out four. . DeVries threw 77 pitches, 40 of them for strikes.
The PawSox took a 4-3 lead when Middlebrooks hit a three-run home run to left-center.
Carlos Gutierrez was replaced by Casey Fien in the top of the sixth after Middlebrooks home run. After the home run, Manager Gene Glynn and Head Trainer Chad Jackson visited the mound and took Gutierrez with an apparent injury. Gutierrez pitched 2/3 innings, giving up three earned runs, one home run, one walk, and one strikeout.
Fien allowed just one hit over 2 1/3 innings. Brendan Wise worked the ninth for Rochester, and got into a bases loaded jam with one out. Tyler Robertson took over for Wise and needed just seven pitches to notch two strikeouts, ending the Pawtucket threat.
