By: Aiden Locke
ROCHESTER, NY --- The Rochester Red Wings take a 2-0 series lead over rival Syracuse Mets. An 8-1 win on Tuesday night was followed up with an 11-2 win on Wednesday afternoon. A monster run of offense in the seventh inning provided the Red Wings the chance to extend a 3-2 lead out to a 9-2 deficit, which Syracuse couldn't overcome. Wednesday's result secured back-to-back blowouts of Syracuse.
Both of these teams are playing meaningful baseball down the stretch with both clubs fighting for a post season birth. After the win, Rochester sits atop the IL East second half standings with a 24-17 record and third overall in the IL East with a 62-52 record on the season.
"It'd be nice to finish this thing up, we're playing for something at the end of the year, that's the goal and we're going to continue doing what were doing," Red Wings Manager Matt LeCroy said.
In the top of the seventh, second baseman Brett Baty, who's played 50 games for the New York Mets in 2024, hit a massive 440ft home run to bring Syracuse within a run going into the bottom of the seventh making the score 3-2.
The bottom of the seventh was led off by Rochester catcher Brady Lindsly. He was struck out by Mets Matt Gage. Gage made it through two thirds of the seventh but couldn't produce the final out. Center fielder Jack Dunn followed Lindsy's K with a base hit, but found himself forced out after outfielder Dylan Crews hit into a fielders choice. Utility man Darren Baker reached off a base hit. This promoted Crews to second base. Third baseman Brady House then hit a two-run double to make it 5-3. DH Joey Gallo followed up House with a two run homer. Reliever Wilkin Ramos replaced Gage after Gallo's long ball. Ramos allowed the next two batters to reach who were cleared off the bases from a Jackson Cluff two RBI double. Lindsy was next up for Rochester getting his second at bat of the inning and lined out to left center field to end the inning.
"It's fun to play games that matter and you know we all want to go to Omaha then to Vegas so we're pulling the same side of the rope and it's pretty fun," Baker said.
There were big performances up and down the Rochester lineup in this game with five different Red Wings having multi-hit games. Rochester's offense collected 12 hits and five walks. Rochester's pitching staff surrendered just one earned run even with allowing eight hits and five walks and also hitting two batters.
Gallo finished the day 2-for-3 with a walk, home run, single and 3 RBI before Carter Kieboom pinch hit for him in the eight and hit an RBI single. Combined the Rochester DH spot batted in four runs and went 3-for-4 and a walk.
"It's actually crazy, he would be my guy in the Home Run Derby whenever we were playing video games and stuff so I'd use him and it's so crazy with him being in the locker room. He's just such a good guy to be around," House said.
Thad Ward started things off for Rochester on the mound. He had a tough go in the first inning. He gave up an unearned run because of an error on second baseman Trey Lipscomb. Syracuse second baseman Baty reach off a walk, which was followed by third baseman Luke Ritter smashing a ground ball to Lipscomb. Lipscomb went for the double play but couldn't beat out Baty to second and his throw to first wasn't in time to force Ritter out. Center fielder Drew Gilbert was next up for Syracuse and got hit by a 90 MPH breaking ball in the groin which caused him to exit the game. Carlos Cortes took his spot in the lineup and pinch ran for that at-bat. Syracuse outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a grounder to Lipscomb which scored Baty. His at-bat was followed by another ground ball to end the inning. Ward tossed 29 pitches in the first but limited the damage and carved out four scoreless innings to follow up.
"He found a way," LeCroy said. "I was kind of on the edge of my seat there in the first, we had to get a up (in the bullpen) but he made some nice adjustments and finished up with four scoreless (innings)."
Innings two though six were a dog fight. Both teams were sharp defensively and offense was challenging to come by for both sides.
Baker made potentially one best defensive plays of the season for Rochester in the fifth. Baker collected a line drive in left field and launched a bomb back to home plate on a line right to Lindsy to tag out Ritter at home. The played saved Rochester a run in a big spot. Baker has been used all over the diamond deffensively in 2024 and is taking big strides defensively.
"He's probably our most improved defensive player by far," LeCroy said. "What he did last year at second, things we asked him to work on in the offseason, things we asked him to do and in the outfield his arm has gotten way better, his range is better, he's playing both positions really well and has also improved as a hit collector as well."
"I just try and do whatever it takes to help us win," Baker said. "Rather that's playing in the infield or the outfield, so I'm just focusing on that and it makes it easier."
Baker has put together a strong season and has potentially put himself on the radar to eventually get a big league call up. Baker is hitting .279 on the year with 47 RBI, 36 stolen bases and has an OBP of .345. Defensively he has a 1.000 fielding percentage in the outfield and a .985 fielding percentage at second base.
"I've taken steps forward and I just needed more reps (in the outfield) and you know, you can't simulate the game so the more I play the better I feel," Baker said.
"Hopefully at some point he (Baker) gets a shot because he's got a really good genetic pool and I'm really happy with how he's improved," LeCroy said.
Syracuse starter Brandon Sproat was ejected after the third inning along with their pitching coach Grayson Crawford. The dispute was over a 50/50 call at the plate by home plate umpire Ty Krauss which led to a Jack Dunn run for Rochester which tied the game early.
Rochester's offense saw six different pitchers during the game which could give them a leg up throughout the rest of the series with a potentially undermanned Syracuse bullpen.
"That's the goal going into each series," LeCroy said. "We want to try to work as many pitchers as we can to make them use up a lot of people to make their stuff less effective but tomorrow's a new day."
These two teams will go at it again on Thursday evening for a huge game three in this series with the season winding down. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. at Innovative Field. Spenser Watkins is scheduled to take the mound for Rochester with Syracuse's starter still to be determined.
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