Syracuse offense erupts for 13-2 win over Rochester on Friday night

Syracuse, NY - The Syracuse Mets combined two big offensive innings with sterling pitching en route to a 13-2 win over the Rochester Red Wings on Friday night at NBT Bank Stadium in front of an electric crowd of 7,626 fans. The Mets have now won five of their last six games.

Rochester (51-41, 13-6) scored first in the top of the first inning. With one out, Darren Baker singled. Baker then moved to second base on a passed ball and third base on a throwing error attempting to get Baker out at second. After Carter Kieboom walked, Travis Blankenhorn hit a sacrifice fly out to center field, scoring Baker from third for a 1-0 lead.

Syracuse (58-35, 12-7) responded powerfully in the bottom of the first. With one out and two runners on base, Luke Ritter singled scoring Luisangel Acuña from second base, knotting the game up, 1-1. Carlos Cortes followed with a three-run home run over the right-field wall that put the Mets on top, 4-1. Cortes now has six homers and 18 RBIs in his last 17 games.

Meanwhile, Mets starting pitcher Tylor Megill was marvelous. After allowing an unearned run in the first inning, Megill pitched the next four innings scoreless while allowing just one hit and two walks. In five innings pitched, Megill struck out seven batters while allowing only two hits and the one unearned run.

Syracuse put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fifth. Aided by three Rochester errors, Syracuse scored nine runs on nine hits. At one point in the inning, the Mets had six straight hits followed by a walk and another hit. Thomas and Ritter each had two hits in the inning, and eight of the nine batters in Syracuse's lineup reached base in the frame as the Mets took a 13-1 advantage. Eight of the nine runs scored in the inning were unearned because of errors.

The Red Wings added a two-out run in the eighth, but the Mets had more than enough offense for the 13-2 win.

Syracuse and Rochester meet again on Saturday night. Right-hander Kodai Senga is scheduled to make his third MLB rehab start for Syracuse. First pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m. at NBT Bank Stadium.