Rochester Democrat & Chronicle
Staff reports

Red Wings manager Stan Cliburn expected Jason Kubel to provide some pop in
the heart of Rochester's lineup. Cliburn didn't know what to expect from
emergency starter Matt Ford.

The duo led Rochester to a doubleheader sweep of Syracuse at Alliance Bank
Stadium Sunday. The Red Wings took the opener, 8-6, and won Game 2, 5-1.

The Red Wings (22-14) pulled even with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for first
place in the International League's North Division.

Kubel blasted a three-run home run, the Wings' first round-tripper in six
games, and he also tripled and finished with four RBI in Game 11.

Ford, making his first start since 2004, allowed three hits over four
effective innings and reliever Ricky Barrett closed the door with three
shutout innings to pick up his first win in Game 2.

The Red Wings jumped to a 6-0 lead heading into the sixth inning of Game 1
and withstood a rally by the SkyChiefs (18-19).

Rochester played "small ball" to take a 1-0 lead. Luis Maza's fielder's
choice scored Terry Tiffee in the second.

Kubel, who had two homers in 89 at bats, blasted a three-run shot to left
field to give the Red Wings a 4-0 lead in the third inning. After Kubel's
homer, Rochester added two more on Jason Bartlett's double with two outs
in the fourth.

Syracuse pulled within 6-3 in the sixth before Kubel delivered a
run-scoring triple and Garrett Jones' sacrifice fly made it 8-3 heading
into the bottom of the seventh.

J.D. Durbin (2-0) allowed three runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings for
the win. Pat Neshek surrendered a solo homer and a two-run homer in the
seventh but struck out Chad Mottola to end the game and earn his sixth
save.

Jason Tyner might be the hottest Red Wing, and he showed why in the
doubleheader. Tyner went a combined 6-for-8 in the two games and extended
his hitting streak to eight games. He is 17-for-34 during the streak.

Tyner led off Game 2 with a stand-up triple and scored on Gil Velazquez's
sacrifice fly. Syracuse struck in the first when Sergio Santos doubled and
scored on Mottola's double.

Steve Lomasney, giving Shawn Wooten a rare off-day behind the plate, put
Rochester ahead 2-1 in his first at bat in a Wings uniform. Lomasney
singled between shortstop and third, driving in Glenn Williams. Tyner then
dropped a single into right, scoring Jason Hart and Velasquez made it 4-1
on a single up the middle.

Hart hit the second pitch he saw in the fourth over the left-field wall to
put the Wings ahead 5-1.

May 15, 2006