The Red Wings dropped a 5-1 contest to the Gwinnett Braves Sunday at Frontier Field. The Wings open a four-game home series with the Louisville Bats Monday night; former National League Rookie of the Year Dontrelle Willis will start for the Bats against
Andy Baldwin.
Wings starter Scott Diamond had not allowed a first inning run in any of his five starts prior to Sunday; that streak ended when the Braves went ahead 1-0, on Ed Lucas' RBI single. He settled down in the second inning, hurling a 1-2-3 inning but would come undone in the third inning, giving up three singles, a triple and a walk up ultimately giving Gwinnett a 5-0 lead.
After being no hit for two innings, Matt Brown started things off for the Wings with a base hit but was doubled off first base with one out when Toby Gardenhire lined into a double play to end the inning.
Diamond returned in the fourth but after giving up two singles exited the game, being relieved by Jeff Manship with two outs. Manship faced one batter, getting a ground out to work out of trouble.
Steve Singleton doubled in the fourth sparking the Wings offense with two outs. Jeff Bailey walked immediately following. Dustin Martin hit a single that scored Singleton and advanced Bailey, putting the Wings on the board. Chase Lambin flew out ending the inning.
Manship worked a 1-2-3 inning in the fifth and got two outs in the sixth before Chuck James was called to action. James induced a fly out to end the inning.
Gwinnett starter Todd Redmond was relieved by Jaye Chapman in the sixth after walking Singleton, who advanced to second on a wild pitch while Bailey was at bat. Chapman had back-to-back walks to Bailey and Martin to load the bases with one out, but a strikeout by Lambin and a Brown fly out left them stranded.
James gave up a single and a double, putting men on the corners with one out. He settled down and struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
Phil Dumatrait took over in the eighth. Dumatrait walked his first batter but quickly erased him by inducing a Ray Chang, Singleton, Bailey 6-4-3 double play, and a ground out to end the inning.
Dusty Hughes made his first appearance with Rochester since getting optioned by the Twins, pitching a perfect ninth inning.
