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Parraz and Vazquez each go deep for second straight day to lead SWB past Rochester.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Jordan Parraz swears the 2011 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees aren’t the International League’s version of the Bash Brothers.
“I don’t see us as really a home run club,” the right fielder said. “We’re a bunch of good middle-of-the-lineup hitters.”
Tell that to the Rochester Red Wings pitching staff, who have been suffering a case of whiplash the past two days.
Parraz and Jorge Vazquez each homered for the second straight day on Sunday afternoon as the Yankees overpowered the Red Wings 7-5 at Frontier Field.
The Yankees withstood two more Rochester rallies – that’s seven in two days – to win their first game of the young season. They have belted six homers in two days at Frontier, which is widely considered a pitcher’s ballpark.
Parraz hit 11 homers in 123 games for Triple-A Omaha last year, while Vazquez drilled 18 in 76 games for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. But they led the team with two each through three games.
“We know those guys over there can hurt you all through their lineup,” Rochester manager Tom Nieto said. “You can’t make many mistakes against them.”
Yankees right-hander Adam Warren fell into an early hole as the Red Wings scored two runs in the bottom of the first. Matt Brown singled in a run, Warren issued three walks, including one to Rene Tosoni that forced in the second run as the Wings went up 2-0.
Warren walked two more in the second inning but escaped trouble when speedy Ben Revere hit into a 4-6-3 double play.
The Yankees took the lead with three runs in the third. Although they managed only one hit off left-hander Scott Diamond, they capitalized on an error by second baseman Trevor Plouffe.
Plouffe, normally a shortstop, dropped a throw from third baseman Matt Brown that likely would have started a 5-4-3 double play. Instead, a run scored.
Chris Dickerson singled in a run that inning and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Jorge Vazquez.
The Red Wings tied it off Warren in the bottom of the fourth. Rene Tosoni led off with a double, moved to third on Chase Lambin’s single and scored on Steve Holm’s sacrifice fly to center.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s Ramiro Pena experienced a strange journey around the basepaths in the top of the fifth. He singled to open the inning, stole second even though pitcher Scott Diamond threw behind him to first baseman Jeff Bailey and then moved to third on Greg Golson’s groundout.
It looked like Pena would score when Diamond’s pitch skidded to the right of catcher Steve Holm. But Holm hustled after the ball and threw to Diamond, who tagged Pena out and ended the shortstop’s strange journey around the bases.
Warren left after giving up a two-out single to Dustin Martin in the fifth. He allowed the three runs on five hits, walked five and struck out one in a 93-pitch effort.
Parraz gave the Yankees a two-run cushion with a homer to right off Jim Hoey in the sixth. But as they did over and over on Saturday, the Red Wings rallied as Rene Tosoni went deep for a two-run shot off George Kontos in the bottom of the sixth.
In the eighth, Jesus Montero singled with one out. Vazquez then ripped a two-run homer to straightaway center for the game-decider.
Andrew Cisco picked up the win in relief, while Kevin Whelan recorded the save with a scoreless ninth. Whelan allowed a two-out single to Plouffe before striking out Brian Dinkelman.
Looking Ahead
Next Game: The four-game series at Rochester continues tonight with Game 3 slated for 7:05.
Probable Pitchers: Yankees RHP DJ Mitchell vs. Rochester RHP Andy Baldwin
On Deck: The season-opening road trip wraps up Tuesday night at Rochester before the team opens its home slate Wednesday versus Buffalo at 6:35 p.m.