The Rochester Red Wings are headed to the postseason for the first time since 2013 after clinching the International League's second-half championship with a win over the Buffalo Bisons at Sahlen Field.
How did the Rochester Red Wings make the playoffs?
Rochester won the International League's second-half championship with a 45-30 record and .600 winning percentage, earning one of only four Triple-A postseason berths. The Red Wings closed the regular season at 90-58 overall.
The championship gives Rochester its first playoff berth in 13 years and its first postseason appearance as an affiliate of the Washington Nationals.
Who will Red Wings play?
The Red Wings will face the Memphis Redbirds, winners of the International League's first-half championship, in the league championship series.
The teams will meet in a best-of-three
series at AutoZone Park in Memphis. Games are scheduled for Sept. 22-24, with a third game played only if necessary.
What's at stake?
The winner of the International League Championship Series advances to the Triple-A National Championship Game, which will be played Sept. 26 at Las Vegas Ballpark against the Pacific Coast League champion.
Who were some of the Rochester Red Wings best players?
The Red Wings finished the regular season with the International League's highest-scoring offense in the second half. Rochester scored 458 runs and outscored opponents by 99 runs, both league-leading marks.
Among the team's top offensive performers in the second half:
- Trey Lipscomb was batting .311 with 19 home runs and 58 RBIs.
- Cayden Wallace hit .307 with 11 home runs and 48 RBIs.
- Seaver King contributed 10 home runs and 41 runs scored.
- Leandro Pineda batted .315 with 10 home runs and a 1.043 OPS.
On the pitching side, Luis Perales posted a 6-1 record with a 3.28 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings during the second half. Reliever Gus Varland recorded eight saves and a 2.54 ERA in 29 appearances.
Why is this playoff appearance significant?
The Red Wings had not reached the postseason since 2013. The berth also marks the first playoff appearance for Washington's Triple-A affiliate since Syracuse qualified in 2014.
The Red Wings' 90 wins were their most in a season since 1953.
Fans can follow postseason updates at RedWingsBaseball.com.
What manager Matt LeCroy said
“This is a testament to the character and work ethic of every single guy in that clubhouse. They came to work every day with one goal in mind, and they earned every bit of this celebration. We’re proud to bring this championship home to the great fans of Rochester, but we’re not done yet.”
Information gathered from milb.com.
This story was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Red Wings open playoffs Tuesday: What to know
