The Wings overcame a six-run deficit but dropped the finale, 13-7, to split the series against Omaha in the final game before the All-Star Break.
Omaha broke the scoring open early with a six-spot in the top of the first, including back-to-back homers by Omaha 1B Angelo Castellano (grand-slam) and 3B John Rave’s first Triple-A home run (solo), batting around before the Wings could come to the plate.
Rochester cut into the deficit in the bottom half when 1B Joey Meneses blasted his first of two homers, plating CF Cole Freeman to make the score 6-2. They would add two more in the third, one coming via a Meneses single, his third RBI of the game, and 55th of the season, scoring LF Andrew Stevenson to make it 6-4 heading into the fourth*. *
RF Josh Palacios extended his hit-streak to 11 games (longest active streak in the International League), and on-base streak to 24 as he drove in a run in the 5th on an infield single to cut the lead to one. The score would remain the same until the bottom half of the eighth when Meneses connected on his second home run of the afternoon and 19th on the season (T-3rd in the IL) to complete the comeback and tie the game at six. This marked Meneses’ third multi-homer game of the season.
Omaha would blow the game open in the ninth, plating seven runs to give the Royals’ top affiliate a comfortable cushion. Rochester would add one in the bottom half from SS Jecksson Flores’ first homer as a Red Wing, falling 13-7.
LHP Carson Teel took the ball to start the game on the mound, lasting just 0.2 innings, allowing five earned before exiting the game. Nine Wings pitchers were used to cover the remaining 8.1 innings, allowing eight earned while striking out 11 as a unit.
The Wings will take the next four days off for the All-Star break before returning to action Friday to take on Buffalo on the road at Sahlen Stadium. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.