The Rochester Red Wings turned a three-run deficit into a commanding lead with a explosive five-run sixth inning, defeating the Syracuse Mets 7-5 on Thursday at NBT Bank Stadium. The victory evened the six-game series at two games apiece, setting up a pivotal weekend matchup.
The Mets struck first, with Nick Morabito stealing home in the opening inning to take a 1-0 lead. Syracuse extended their advantage to 3-0 in the fifth when Morabito singled to left field, driving in Yonny Hernández and Hayden Senger.
But the Red Wings came roaring back in the sixth. Christian Franklin kickstarted the rally with a solo home run to left-center, his second of the season. After Robert Hassell III walked and Dylan Crews singled, Yohandy Morales drew a walk to load the bases. Andrés Chaparro's sacrifice fly brought home Hassell III, and Andrew Pinckney's RBI groundout scored Crews to tie the game at 3-3. Trey Lipscomb then delivered the knockout blow, crushing a two-run homer to left field—his fourth of the season—to give Rochester a 5-3 lead.
The Mets fought back, scoring once in the sixth on Hernández's groundout and tying the game 5-5 in the seventh on Christian Arroyo's sacrifice fly. But the Red Wings had one more rally in them. In the eighth, Tres Barrera came through with a clutch two-RBI single to put Rochester ahead for good.
Eddy Yean earned the win (2-1) with 1.2 scoreless innings of relief, striking out two. Starter Andrew Alvarez allowed three earned runs over 4.2 innings while fanning eight batters. Erik Tolman notched his first save with a scoreless ninth, striking out two. Dan Hammer took the loss for Syracuse (0-1), surrendering two earned runs in 0.2 innings. Mets starter Jonah Tong was impressive, striking out eight over five innings while allowing just two runs.
For baseball fans looking to channel their favorite players, this game showcased the kind of clutch hitting and late-inning heroics that make the sport so thrilling. Whether you're cheering for the Red Wings or the Mets, having the right gear—from batting gloves to cleats—can help you feel like you're part of the action.