Knights top Wings in series opener

The Rochester Red Wings dropped a 8-2 contest to the Charlotte Knights Friday night at Frontier Field. The teams meet again Saturday night at 7:05 p.m., with The ZOOperstars! performing and fireworks after the game. 

The Knights scored first in the top of the second after an RBI ground-rule-double by Seby Zavala off Red Wings starting pitcher, D.J. Baxendale, making the score 1-0. Baxendale was replaced with no outs in the second by Luke Bard. Baxendale finished with 1.0 innings thrown, allowed three hits, three runs and had one strikeout. Baxendale threw 23 pitches, 15 for strikes. Matt Skole scored from third on a wild pitch to give the Knights a 2-0 lead. Zavala scored on an error in the infield to make the score 3-0. Jake Elmore scored on a fielder's choice in the infield to make the score 4-0. Charlie Tilson scored on an RBI double to give the Knights a 5-0 lead.
The Knights added to their lead in the top of the third after a solo home run by Jose Rondon, making the score 6-0. Tilson added to the lead with a two RBI single to give the Knights a 8-0 lead. Nick Anderson replaced Bard with two outs in the top of the third.
The game was put into an 11-minute delay after an umpire change was needed at home plate in the bottom of the fourth inning. Home plate umpire Ryan Wills was hit by a foul ball and left the game, replaced by base umpire Alex Tosi.
The Wings scored in the bottom of the fifth after an RBI single from Nick Gordon off Knights starting pitcher, Jordan Guerrero that scored Edgar Corcino, making the score 8-1. Jordan Pacheco scored on a throwing error in the infield to make the score 8-2.
Anderson was replaced by John Curtiss in the top of the sixth inning.
Caleb Frare replaced Guerrero in the bottom of the seventh inning. Guerrero finished with 6.0 innings thrown, allowed six hits, two runs, one walk and had seven strikeouts. Guerrero threw 97 pitches, 68 for strikes.
Alan Busenitz replaced Curtiss in the top of the ninth inning, and allowed a walk and a single before getting the next three outs. 
The Knights out-hit the Wings 12-6.
Winning pitcher: Guerrero (4-1)
Losing pitcher: Baxendale (0-3)
Save: none
Box Score: Click here for the box score and play-by-play narrative.

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THIS DAY IN RED WINGS HISTORY
1983 - Wings' pitcher Julian Gonzalez won a 4-3 decision in the first game of a double header against the Pawtucket Red Sox at Silver Stadium. The win was Gonzalez's fifth straight and fifteenth on the season, making him the winningest pitcher in the entire Orioles organization.
2005 - The Rochester Red Wings' three-game win streak ended Wednesday night at Frontier Field after a 7-6 loss to the Ottawa Lynx. Chris Heintz had a hit and two RBI, extending his hitting streak to 16 games - best of the season for a Rochester batter. The teams smacked 14 hits apiece in a game that featured four home runs and five double plays.
2006 - After taking a big lead early, the Red Wings nearly let the Buffalo Bisons back in the game Thursday night at Frontier Field...The Wings jumped out to a 6-0 advantage, powered by home runs from Garrett Jones and Gil Velazquez, and held on to win 6-5 behind a solid debut from Levale Speigner. 
THIS DAY IN INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE HISTORY
2003 - 26-year-old Pawtucket right-hander Bronson Arroyo tosses the fourth 9-inning perfect game in International League history by beating the Buffalo Bisons 7-0 at McCoy Stadium. Arroyo needs just 101 pitches (73 strikes) to complete his masterpiece. He strikes out nine to go along with the ten fly-outs and eight ground-outs he produces from the 27 Buffalo hitters. Only three times during the game does Arroyo even reach a 3-ball count. Arroyo would ultimately win 12 games for Pawtucket in 2003 with 155 strikeouts, the second highest total in franchise history. On August 22 he was promoted to the Boston Red Sox, days before being named the IL's Most Valuable Pitcher.