Wings Finally Beat Scranton, End Losing Streak

Brian Duensing struck out six, and David Winfrees two-run double was part of a seven-run first inning in the Rochester Red Wings 7-3 win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees at Frontier Field Sunday afternoon. The win snapped an eight-game losing streak for the Wings. Left-hander Duensing was making his second start, after getting knocked in his first start against Scranton April 18. Former Red Wing (1999-2000) Jason Johnson started for the Yankees, after defeating the Wings in his last start April 19 in Scranton. Duensing erased his own throwing error in the first inning by getting a double play and a flyout to keep the Yankees scoreless. That opened the door for Rochester to post seven first inning runs off Johnson; the Wings came into the game with a 5-1 record in games they have scored first. Johnson yielded two walks around a single to load the bases, and Winfree laced a two-run double to left field for a 2-0 lead. That was just the start of a 12-batter, 43-pitch first inning nightmare for Johnson; he allowed five hits and four walks in the frame. Jeff Christys two-run double was the other key hit in the inning. Duensing worked through some wildness in the second, walking two but also fanning two to strand the baserunners. Facing the top offensive club in the minors (Scarntons 118 runs scored entering Sunday was Minor League Baseballs top mark), Duensing was nicked for three hits and a run in the Yankees third. Another pair of strikeouts helped Duensing limit the Yankees offensive effort. In the fourth, Duensing allowed one baserunner on a fielding error by third baseman Luke Hughes, but pitched out of it getting another strikeout, a groundout, and a flyout. John Rodriguez led the fifth inning off for the Yankees with a walk and scored on a double by Todd Linden. Linden advanced to third on a groundout and scored on Juan Mirandas sacrifice fly. Duensing recorded his sixth strikeout of the game to get out of the inning. Duensing (1-1) exited the game completing five innings allowing five hits, three earned runs, and three walks. Philip Humber made his first appearance this season pitching two hitless innings and striking out one. Bobby Keppel closed the game for the Wings in a no-save situation. Besides the seven-run first inning, Johnson (1-1) shut the Wings out the rest of the way. He completed five innings allowing five hits, seven runs, five walks, and striking out one. WINGS THINGS Alejandro Machado celebrated his 27th birthday Sunday with two hits, an RBI and a run scored, and a walk....The seven runs Sunday was the first time Rochester had scored at least seven in one inning since May 9, 2007 (vs. Toledo at Frontier Field, sixth inning) ...More on Saturdays wild 17-14 13-inning game: the Red Wings six homers Saturday tied a S/WB franchise record for home runs allowed...It was Scrantons 10th win in a row on the road, tying their franchise record (May 16-June 13, 2004)...It was the second highest scoring game in Frontier Field history, behind only the April 29, 2004 25-13 loss to Buffalo... A couple of Frontier Field records almost fell (both records are from the 2004 game): combined runs scored in a game (record 38, Saturday 31) and combined hits in a game (record 42, Saturday 40)... It was the 3rd most runs Rochester has allowed in a game at Frontier Field (4/29/04 vs. Buffalo, 25 runs and 8/15/200 vs. Pawtucket, 21 runs)....The Red Wings set 28 new season-highs in the game...The six home runs the Red Wings hit is the most Rochester has hit in a game at Frontier Field. It’s also the most home runs Rochester has hit in a game since May 2, 2003 when the Wings went deep seven times in a 16-6 win at Charlotte... Luke Hughes and Matt Macri each hit two home runs, the first time Rochester has had multiple players go deep in a game since May 2, 2003 game (Lew Ford, Michael Restovich and Justin Morneau all went deep twice in that game)....Hughes hit a three-run home run in the 4th inning off Scranton LHP Kei Igawa that cleared the scoreboard in left field. He became only the fourth player in Frontier Field history to accomplish that feat. Scranton outfielder Tony Barron and Red Wings catcher Tim Laker each did it in 1997 while Charlotte designated hitter Scott Morgan did it in 2003.