The Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, rallied late for the second day in a row, but again fell to the Rochester Red Wings, 3-1, at Alliance Bank Stadium.
Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the eighth, Syracuse second baseman Seth Bynum knocked a double that one-hopped the 356-foot marker on the wall in left field to plate left fielder Corey Brown with two outs. Bynum's double, which followed a Brown triple down the right field line, counted for Syracuse's biggest offensive display of the game in what was otherwise a pitcher's duel. After a Xavier Paul walk, Tyler Moore struck out to end the Chiefs' best rally.
Syracuse (0-2) threatened again in the last half of the ninth when center fielder Bryce Harper (1-for-4) led off with a single to center, but Red Wings closer Anthony Slama retired the next three hitters to end the game.
Rochester (2-0) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning thanks to a bases-loaded groundout to first by first baseman Rene Tosoni. That, however, was the only run that Chiefs starter Tanner Roark would allow in his Triple-A debut.
Roark threw 82 pitches, 51 for strikes, over six innings of three-hit, one-run ball on another cold and windy day in Central New York. The righty struck out three and walked three, including two in the opening frame that led to the game's first run.
Neither side scored after the top of the first until Rochester added an insurance run in the eighth, as first baseman Aaron Bates doubled to right field against Josh Wilkie to score Brian Dozier from second.
Already ahead 2-1, the Red Wings tacked on another run in the ninth off of Chiefs reliever Ryan Perry. Designated hitter Brian Dinkleman, who tripled with one out, scored after Perry threw a wild pitch on an 0-2 count to third baseman Ray Chang.
Scott Diamond earned the win for the Red Wings. Diamond tossed 6.1 innings, allowing no runs and four hits, while striking out three and walking just one. Slama picked up the save.
The Chiefs now prepare to host the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees for a four-game series beginning Saturday at 4 p.m. at Alliance Bank Stadium. Right-hander Yunesky Maya takes the ball for Syracuse against Yankees left-hander Manny Banuelos.
Courtesy: Syracuse Chiefs
