By CHUCKIE MAGGIO
Cade Cavalli was effectively wild at Frontier Field on Saturday afternoon.
Cavalli threw 5.1 hitless innings in the first game of the Rochester Red Wings’ doubleheader against Syracuse, holding a Triple-A team scoreless for the first time in his career and turning in his longest outing of the young season.
The 23-year-old also threw just 41 of his 81 pitches for strikes, walked three and hit a batter. He retired the Mets in order just once and found himself in three full counts.
Nonetheless, Cavalli earned his second victory as a Red Wing. Nick Plummer broke up Rochester’s combined no-hit bid by placing a bunt single off reliever Jordan Weems in the sixth, Syracuse’s lone hit, but Rochester prevailed 3-0 in its second shutout win of the season. The Mets salvaged the doubleheader split,
Cavalli did not surrender an extra base hit for the first time since last Sept. 10.
“He had a hard time getting ahead of hitters, put himself in some tough counts,” Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy remarked. “But he made pitches when he needed to make them. … Really, really pleased with that outing. Obviously there’s things that he needs to clean up, as far as more command of some secondary pitches. I’d like to see him get back to throwing some more changeups; I think that’s gonna be a pitch for him, to get him back in the zone with his fastball.
“But like I said, he battled without his best command and didn’t give up any hits. Really, really proud of him.”
Rochester’s lineup tallied just six hits in Game 1, but added some insurance in the sixth when Josh Palacios collected a two-run double. Palacios went 2-for-3, singling in the first.
Palacios has been a valuable waiver pickup; he’s compiled four multi-hit performances in his last seven games and is batting .378 with 23 total bases in 11 games as a Red Wing.
“For us to get a guy like Josh, it’s really, really good for us,” LeCroy acknowledged. “Not only for this team, but for our organization. He’s a quality human being; he plays the game the right way; and he seems to have a little knack for getting a big hit. He does a nice job working the pitchers, fighting off pitches to get more pitches and he takes advantage of it. He’s just gotta keep playing.
“We’re gonna play him some more in center to make sure he’s comfortable there and hopefully, he’ll be ready when his name’s called. I think he’s put himself in a good position to play at that highest level, so hopefully he can keep it up.”
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The Red Wings notched more hits in Game 2 than Game 1 but never led the second game, as Mets leadoff man Wyatt Young capped an eight-pitch at bat with a home run off Logan Vettett and Travis Blankenhorn hit a two-run shot in the fourth. A two-run fourth was the closest Rochester came to tying or taking the lead, with a Joey Meneses blast and doubles by Donovan Casey and Andrew Young supplying the Red Wings’ runs.
Rochester had an opportunity to put up a crooked number in the third inning, with Andrew Young doubling and Alfredo Rodriguez singling to place runners on the corners with no outs. Neither runner scored, however, as two batters struck out against Rob Zastryzny and another popped out.
The Mets added another run in the sixth, while the Red Wings left three runners on base over the final two innings. Stephen Nogosek achieved a six-out save.
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