Friday March 29th, 2024 2:33AM

Red Wings hand Stripers another extra-inning loss

By AccessWDUN

LAWRENCEVILLE — The Gwinnett Stripers fell short in extra innings for the second consecutive night against the Rochester Red Wings, losing 6-4 in 11 innings at Coolray Field.

In yet another tactical showdown in the two extra frames that saw six runs combined, the Red Wings capitalized on a rough 11th inning by reliever Miguel Socolovich. Brock Stassi, the international tiebreaker runner who began the inning on second base, took third on a single by Nick Buss and scored on a double play grounder off the bat of Bobby Wilson. Gregorio Petit followed with a single and stole second base, and after an intentional walk to Zack Granite, Taylor Featherston lined an RBI single scoring Petit.

Socolovich (L, 1-2) finished with a line of 2.0 innings, five hits, four runs (two earned) and two walks with one strikeout.

A rally in the bottom of the 11th, highlighted by a single and stolen base by Ronald Acuna Jr. (1-4, BB, SB) ended when he was caught in a run down with ITB runner Chris Stewart stuck on third base.

The extra inning affair once again overshadowed an impressive performance by a Gwinnett starting pitcher. Max Fried twirled 5.2 innings and allowed just one earned run in his 2018 Stripers debut, his first Triple-A start since August 30 of last season.

In the second inning, Fried gave up consecutive singles to Kennys Vargas and Jermaine Curtis. Stassi followed with a double down the right field line, scoring Vargas for the first run of the game.

After a clean third inning, Fried gave up two singles with one out but worked out of trouble by getting Buss and Wilson to fly out, ending the threat. 

The 24-year-old Fried, ranked the No. 83 prospect in baseball by MLB.com, finished with four hits and two walks allowed while striking out six on 86 pitches (55 strikes).

The first two Gwinnett runs scored on solo home runs. In the fourth inning, Johan Camargo, on a rehab assignment from Atlanta, crushed an estimated 398-foot home run into the Red Wings’ bullpen in right field. It was his third home run in as many games with Gwinnett.

Not to be outdone by Camargo, Carlos Franco also cracked his third homer of the season in the seventh inning, traveling an estimated 355 feet to the opposite field.

Gwinnett’s two runs in the 10th  inning came from an RBI single by Dustin Peterson and a subsequent RBI fielder’s choice by Ezequiel Carrera. Rochester reliever Mason Melotakis, who surrendered the tying run, ultimately got the win (W, 1-0).

Franco went 1-for-4 with the homer to extend his team-best hitting streak to six games and team-best RBI streak to five games. Sean Kazmar Jr. went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles, his 436th and 437th career hits with Gwinnett to tie Jose Constanza (2011-14) for the Gwinnett club record.

The Stripers will look to get one back Saturday at 6:05 p.m. against Rochester. Right-hander Matt Wisler (0-0, 1.80 ERA) starts for Gwinnett, while the Red Wings will pitch righty Aaron Slegers (0-0, 1.50). Tony Schiavone has the play-by-play call on 97.7 FM The Other Side of the River beginning at 5:35 p.m. 

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