Syracuse, NY - The Rochester Red Wings used a two-run home run from their pitcher Luis Reyes in the fifth inning and a go-ahead RBI single from Donovan Casey in the ninth to top the Syracuse Mets, 3-2, at NBT Bank Stadium on Thursday night. Despite the loss, Syracuse starting pitcher Josh Walker was great on the mound, delivering six innings, giving up two runs on five hits while walking one and striking out one.
Syracuse (38-59) struck first with a run in the bottom of the second. They loaded the bases with no outs after Travis Blankenhorn walked, David Thompson was hit by a pitch, and Khalil Lee walked. Cheslor Cuthbert then came to the plate and hit into a 6-4-3 double play, but Blankenhorn scored to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. Cervenka then flied out to end the inning.
Rochester (42-54) took the lead in the top of the fifth, thanks to their pitcher. Donovan Casey hit a leadoff double, and then Ali Castillo and Jecksson Flores were both retired. Reyes then came to the plate, and on a 3-2 pitch, blasted a two-run homer over the center-field wall to give the Red Wings a 2-1 lead.
The Mets tied it in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a Mason Williams solo home run onto the Salt City Deck in right field. The homer was Williams’s fifth of the season made it a 2-2 contest.
In the top of the ninth and the score still 2-2, Mike Ford hit a leadoff double off Mets reliever Franklyn Kilomé. Blake Swihart came in as a pinch runner, and Casey hit a go-ahead single, scoring Swihart to put Rochester ahead 3-2.
Red Wings reliever Ronald Peña came on to pitch the bottom of the ninth for the Red Wings and delivered a 1-2-3 inning to earn his first save of the season.
The Mets and Red Wings return to NBT Bank Stadium on Friday evening. Syracuse right-hander Adam Oller will take the hill against Rochester left-hander Seth Romero. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.