ROCHESTER, N.Y. – There’s an old saying that every long journey begins with a single step. However, Thursday’s first step was a killer for the Rochester Red Wings. The Syracuse Mets scored eight runs in the top of the first inning, the most against the Red Wings in an opening frame since 2022, setting the tone for a 12-6 Rochester defeat despite a spirited comeback for Rochester.
Rochester hadn’t allowed eight or more runs in the first inning since a June 8, 2022, game at the St. Paul Saints, when they allowed eight in the bottom of the first.
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Left-hander DJ Herz, the No. 12 prospect of the Washington Nationals according to MLB.com, got Mets second baseman Luisangel Acuna to fly out to right to begin the game. It was the high point for Rochester in the inning, as minutes later, right fielder Ben Gamel launched a 1-2 pitch 382 feet to right for a go-ahead solo home run. It escalated from there, as Gamel was the first of 11 straight Mets to reach base. Eight of those runners came against Herz, who was removed with two outs after he walked Hayden Senger with a wild pitch on ball four. The ball took a bad bounce that allowed Mike Brosseau to score from second after Herz dropped the ball during the play at home for an error.
“It was a tough first for Herzy,” said Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy.
Joe Sorsa allowed a few hits and runs before ending the first down 8-0, but then began a stretch of shutout pitching for himself and the Red Wings bullpen. Four pitchers combined to throw seven innings of scoreless baseball before Syracuse added four runs of insurance in the top of the ninth.
“I’m proud of Joe and the bullpen for picking up some innings; that was huge for us,” said LeCroy.
“And then the offensive came alive to get us within reaching difference.”
After getting no-hit for four innings by Syracuse’s Mike Vasil, the Red Wings got on the board with an exclamation point, as first baseman Travis Blankenhorn launched a ball 384 feet over the right field fence for a solo home run, his eighth longball of the season. The rally continued with back-to-back singles by Carter Kieboom and Jake Alu, with Kieboom scoring on a fielder’s choice soon after to cut Syracuse’s lead to 8-2.
Catcher Brady Lindsly doubled to put two men in scoring position before shortstop Jackson Cluff stepped to the plate. The BYU graduate from Colorado smashed the fourth pitch he saw down the right field line at 100.8 miles per hour, where it curved into the foul pole for the three-run home run, his first in AAA, to move the Red Wings to an 8-5 deficit.
Cluff struggled at the plate last season in AA Harrisburg, hitting .207, but he’s off to a hot start in Rochester, hitting .308 in nine games. He credits his recent performance to his familiarity with many of his opponents.
“The same talent we’re facing on the field is the same talent I faced in spring training,” he said. “So I’ve had good experience facing guys like this. When you get the opportunity to play in the season, it’s always different when you take a step up, but it’s been good (so far).”
Cluff added that the team never thought the game lost after the first inning.
“I think everyone in our clubhouse believes that we’re always in it,” he said. “Just because one guy doesn’t have his best day or collectively we didn’t play great the first inning, I think we all have the confidence that if we just play our game, we’ll always have an opportunity to get back into it.”
Ultimately, the Red Wings couldn’t complete the comeback on Thursday. Although they moved one run closer after an RBI infield single by the rehabbing Victor Robles in the seventh, the Red Wings failed to tie despite getting the tying run on base in the seventh and to the plate in the eighth. A four-run ninth for Syracuse that included a three-run home run by Yolmer Sanchez put the game out of reach for good.
A baseball season, though, is much like a long journey. Another game is Friday at 6:05 P.M. Right-hander Thaddeus Ward (0-1, 5.19) will take the mound for Rochester against Syracuse righty Max Kranick (0-0, 5.40).
As for Thursday’s game, though?
“You got to flush it and move on,” says LeCroy.
Wings have been the prototype .500 team so far. they are all over the road. Some nights, they get pitching; some nights the pitchers look like little leaguers. Some nights they hit; other nights they can’t buy a hit. Some nights they blow a close game in late innings. Other nights they win it late. No rhyme reason or rhythm for these guys.
5 times already they have allowed more than 10 runs in a game. One time they lost 17-0. But they haven’t let the highs or the lows last very long. Are they remotely contenders? Nah. And already they have had 2 games cancelled in the 1st half season. thats something this league needs to figure out. But clearly wins and losses down here don’t matter to MLB that much. Play as many as you can and don’t sweat the standings.