Mets Beat Red Wings In Back-and-Forth Contest
In a game that saw six different lead changes, the Rochester Red Wings fell to Syracuse for the third consecutive night, 8-6. Four different Red Wing hitters turned in two-hit performances, including 2B Darren Baker’s team-leading 17th multi-hit game of the season. LF James Wood also extended his on-base streak
In a game that saw six different lead changes, the Rochester Red Wings fell to Syracuse for the third consecutive night, 8-6. Four different Red Wing hitters turned in two-hit performances, including 2B Darren Baker’s team-leading 17th multi-hit game of the season. LF James Wood also extended his on-base streak to 31 games with a walk in the first, the longest streak by any player in the International League this season.
The Red Wings jumped out to an early lead in the first, as James Wood and RF Travis Blankenhorn drew two-out walks to bring up 1B Riley Adams. The backstop roped a double down the left field line to score Wood. After a clean bottom half, the Wings lead 1-0 after one.
In the bottom of the third, Mets’ LF Yolmer Sánchez walked to bring up C Austin Allen, who singled to right field and moved Sánchez to third. With runners on the corners and one out, SS Luisangel Acuña softly grounded out to shortstop, allowing Sánchez to cross the plate and even the score at one apiece after three.
With two outs in the top of the fourth, C Brady Lindsly lined a ball sharply over the second baseman. Darren Baker followed up the single with one of his own to bring CF Dylan Crews to the plate with a pair of runners on base. Washington’s second-ranked overall prospect jumped on a first-pitch sweeper and deposited it in front of the right fielder to score Lindsly for the go-ahead run, making it 2-1 Rochester. Both of Crews’ first two hits at the Triple-A level have driven in runs after launching a solo home run on Wednesday night. DH Harold Ramírez then smoked his first extra-base hit as a Red Wing at 110.7 MPH into the left-center field gap for a two-out double that scored Baker to give the Red Wings a two-run cushion.
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The Mets cut into their early deficit in the fifth, as CF Rhylan Thomas hammered a 1-2 breaking ball to right field for a solo home run to make the score 3-2. In the next at-bat, Sánchez collected his first hit of the night, hooking a double over the first base bag to put himself into scoring position with one out. Mets Austin Allen then came to the plate and clubbed his second home run of the season to right field, a go-ahead blast to give Syracuse their first lead of the night, 4-3.
After surrendering the lead, Rochester fought back in the top of the sixth, led off by a walk to SS Jackson Cluff. Followed by 3B Carter Kieboom, who beat out a throw from the Mets shortstop for an infield single. Lindsly dropped a sacrifice bunt down to advance both runners to second and third. Baker then ripped a single to center field that scored Cluff to tie the game 4-4. With one out and runners on the corner, Dylan Crews came to the plate and grounded into a fielder’s choice that allowed Kieboom to score and push Rochester back in front, 5-4.
With two outs in the bottom half of the sixth, Syracuse Mets’ RF Trayce Thompson blasted a solo home run to left field to re-tie the game. This marked his 16th home run of the season, tying him with former Syracuse Met and current Red Wing Travis Blankenhorn for second-most in the International League.
The Red Wings continued the scoring in the top of the seventh as Riley Adams walked with one out. Cluff then grounded into a fielder's choice and replaced Adams at first. Kieboom in the following at-bat, singled to left field to advance Cluff to third base with one out. Lindlsy then came to the plate with the go-ahead run on third base and singled on a ground ball to left field to give Rochester the lead once again, 6-5.
After Yolmer Sánchez walked to reach base for the third time in the game, the Red Wings recorded two quick outs. 2B Brett Baty then came to the plate and went down 0-2 before promptly crushing a 414-foot go-ahead two-run home run to straightaway center field, giving Syracuse a 7-6 lead, the sixth lead change of the game.
With the score still at 7-6 heading into the bottom of the eighth, Syracuse led off the inning with a 1B Luke Ritter single to left field that would put him on with no outs. Ritter subsequently stole second base, and the throw skipped away allowing Ritter to advance to third. Trayce Thompson then connected on a sacrifice fly to center field to add a big insurance run for the Mets heading into the top of the ninth, 8-6.
After a wild game, the Red Wings went down quietly in the ninth as Syracuse secured a two-run victory, and took a commanding 3-0 series lead.
RHP Joan Adon made his 13th start of the season for Rochester on Thursday night. The Dominican Republic native threw 4.1 innings and allowed four earned on five hits while striking out three and walking one. LHP Tim Cate entered in relief in the bottom of the fifth inning, tossing 0.2 hitless innings, and striking out two, before handing the ball to RHP Orlando Ribalta. The right-hander allowed two earned on one hit, striking out two and walking one, across 1.2 innings. RHP Amos Willingham came in to pitch in the eighth and allowed one earned run on two hits across 1.1 innings while striking out two to finish the contest.
Thursday night’s Diamond Pro Player of the Game goes to DH Harold Ramírez. The Colombia native went 2-for-4, with a double, an RBI, and a walk. After connecting on a pair of hits Wednesday night, this is the second time this season Ramírez has turned in back-to-back multi-hit games (April 5-6 at COL, with TB). Through his first five games with Rochester, he’s collected six hits in 16 at-bats (.375), with a double and four RBI.
Rochester looks to bounce back and win their first game of the series on Friday night. RHP Spenser Watkins is set to take the mound first for the Red Wings, squaring off against the Mets’ RHP José Buttó. The first pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.
Find the box score attached here.
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