The Rochester Red Wings let a four-run lead slip away Tuesday, falling 8-6 to the Charlotte Knights at ESL Ballpark after a three-run seventh inning turned the game around.
Rochester (67-46) led 6-3 after five innings and still held a two-run advantage entering the seventh before Charlotte erupted against reliever Jack Sinclair. Michael Turner singled and Junior Perez walked ahead of Tim Elko's three-run homer to left field, giving the Knights a 7-6 lead.
The late collapse spoiled what had been a strong start for Rochester.
The teams traded runs in the first inning. Charlotte grabbed a 1-0 lead on Turner's RBI single, but Rochester answered in the bottom half when Seaver King doubled to open the inning and later stole home as part of a double steal with Phillip Glasser, tying the game 1-1.
Rochester's offense was powered by home runs from Maxwell Romero Jr. and Cayden Wallace. Romero's two-run shot in the second inning put the Red Wings ahead 3-2, and Wallace followed with a two-run homer in the fourth to extend the lead to 5-2.
The Red Wings added another run in the fifth when Trey Lipscomb singled home Yohandy Morales, pushing the advantage to 6-3.
Charlotte chipped away with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings before the decisive seventh. Ryan Galanie drove in a run with an RBI single in the second, Turner added an RBI groundout in the fifth, Andy Weber delivered an RBI single in the sixth and Elko finished with three RBIs.
Sinclair (4-2) was charged with the loss and a blown save after allowing three runs on two hits and two walks in one inning. Charlotte reliever Peyton Pallette (3-1) earned the win, and Kelvyin Woods recorded the save.
Romero and Wallace each drove in two runs for Rochester. Seaver King had two hits for the Red Wings, while Morales also collected two hits.
The teams continue their series Wednesday at ESL Ballpark.
Information gathered from milb.com.
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This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Late collapse costs Red Wings in homestand opener
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