“Pottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn” is off to a good start with the Washington Nationals Triple-A affiliate team, Rochester Red Wings.
The Red Wings dropped a pair of games to the Phillies’ International League affiliate, Lehigh Valley IronPigs, during the opening weekend of the 2023 season. The game scheduled for Sunday was canceled.
Lehigh Valley 8, Rochester 7 (Friday, March 31)
On Opening Day on Friday, Blankenhorn put in a solid day at the plate and triggered an extra-inning rally that came up just short for the Red Wings.
Blankenhorn got the scoring started in 2023 for Rochester with an RBI triple to right field in the 2nd inning. That plated Stone Garrett and got the Red Wings on the board. He’d score on a Yadiel Hernandez double in the 2nd.
We strike first in the 2023 season 👊@ESLFCU | Play of the Game pic.twitter.com/8MYqIDunow— Rochester Red Wings (@RocRedWings) March 31, 2023
Rochester held a 6-5 lead going into the 9th on Friday before Aramis Garcia sent a ball over the wall in left to tie the game.
Vimael Machin smacked a 2-run homer in the 10th for Lehigh Valley.
Blankenhorn led off the bottom of the 10th for the Red Wings and plated the placed runner at second base, Garrett. But he’d be stranded on base as the Wings were retired in order after Blankenhorn’s single.
Lehigh Valley 2, Rochester 1 (Saturday, April 1)
On Saturday, Blankenhorn went hitless and the Red Wings were only able to scratch out 3 of them as a team in a 2-1 loss to the Pigs.
Going into action this week, here are Blankenhorn’s stats for the 2023 season:
- BA: .250 (2-for-8)
- R: 1
- 2B: 0
- 3B: 1
- HR: 0
- RBI: 2
- SB: 0
- K: 2
- BB: 0
Starting Tuesday, the Red Wings take on Blankenhorn’s former team, Syracuse Mets, in a 6-game series.
