Wings Blow Lead, Get Blown Out

The Tides took the early lead for the second night in a row, but were unable to hold it again. In the top of the second Blake Davis hit a solo home run to give Norfolk the 1-0 lead. It was the 14th homer Rochester starter Andy Baldwin has given up this season.

But the Wings answered in the bottom of the second. Steve Singleton hit a leadoff single to start the inning, then Chase Lambin quickly followed with a two-run home run. In the bottom of the sixth, the Wings added more to their lead with another two-run shot when Rene Tosoni led the inning off with a double. Aaron Bates then knocked him in with a long homer to left-center field, giving the Wings a 4-1 lead.

Baldwin was solid on the mound, working into the sixth inning and scattering six hits. He was charged with two runs, struck out five and walked one. When Baldwin left the game with a runner on first and no outs in the seventh, Dusty Hughes came out of the bullpen to relieve. Hughes allowed a single to Nick Green, then struck out the next two batters he faced. But a walk to Matt Angle loaded the bases with two outs, and Brendan Harris was credited with a two-run infield single to pull the Tides within a run at 4-3. On the Harris play, Lambin made a diving stop to take away an extra base hit, and Green hustled all the way around to score from second on a close play at the plate.

Carlos Gutierrez, tied for second in the league with 23 appearances entering Sunday's game, took over for Hughes in the seventh and struck out Brandon Snyder to end the Norfolk threat.

Norfolk manager Gary Allenson was ejected by home plate umpire Gerrard Ascani in the Wings' half of the seventh inning after Danny Lehmann was hit by a pitch. Allenson argued that Lehmann's hand was hit while attempting to bunt.

Later in the seventh, Rochester had the bases loaded with one out against reliever Alberto Castillo. Castillo had intentionally walked Jeff Bailey to load the bases and set up a force play with Tosoni due up. Tosoni, who entered the game batting .600 (3-for-5) and six RBI with the bases loaded, grounded a single between first and second base to push Rochester's lead to 5-3. It was Tosoni's third hit of the game.

Gutierrez notched a pair of strikeouts in the eighth inning, but allowed a ninth inning run with two outs that made it a one-run game at 5-4. Kyle Waldrop came out of the bullpen midway through the top of the ninth and allowed a game-tying single to former teammate Brendan Harris. The run, however, was charged to Gutierrez as he allowed the runner, Matt Angle, to reach base on a single earlier in the inning.

The Wings had the chance to win the game in the bottom of the tenth, when Bailey led the inning off with a double. Tosoni then had a sacrifice bunt to put Bailey on third. Bates was then given an intentional pass to bring Dustin Martin up to the plate. Martin grounded out to the first baseman, advancing Bates to second base. But Singleton came up next and ended the inning with a ground out to second.

The Tides took the lead in the top of the 11th. With Waldrop pitching, they loaded the bases through a single and two walks. Cole DeVries then came in to relieve Waldrop and gave up a grand slam to Brandon Snyder. But the damage only continued after that as the Wings seemed to fall apart at the seems. Norfolk scored two more runs in the inning thanks to an error by third baseman Lambin followed by a double and single.