BY DAN GLICKMAN
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – After two days of rain- one that washed out a game on Thursday and another that delayed Friday’s contest- the skies were clear on Saturday for the Rochester Red Wings’ doubleheader against the Syracuse Mets.
For the Wings, the outlook on the day proved far more stormy, as they lost game one, 8-0, before falling in extras in game two, 10-2.
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“It’s just one of those things where you’ve got to execute better,” said Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy. “It’s not for lack of fight or lack of work; it’s we just really got to execute more.”
Despite the lopsided score in the second game, the two couldn’t be more different: the first saw the Red Wings never threaten. In contrast, the second saw a few small mistakes force extras despite an excellent pitching performance by Seth Shuman, where a giant eighth inning for Syracuse sent Rochester down in a doubleheader sweep.
On paper, the first of the two seven-inning games was a possible pitching duel in the making between Nationals’ No. 7 prospect, Cade Cavalli, and Mets’ No. 2 prospect (No. 60 overall) Brandon Sproat.
The actual result, however, proved quite different. The Mets got to Cavalli early and often, battering the 26-year-old right-hander for seven runs on eight hits, a walk, a wild pitch, and a towering second-inning three-run home run from Syracuse catcher Francisco Alvarez, who launched a changeup 107.8 MPH over one of Innovative Field’s advertising boards in left-center field, ultimately landing 434 feet away. At one point, LeCroy joined with pitching coach Rafael Chaves and the team training staff to check on the Oklahoman.
“He looked a little off,” said LeCroy. “We just wanted to make sure he’s okay. And he felt fine when we let him throw a couple pitches. But when you gave up seven runs in three innings, it’s just a good time to get out there.”
Sproat, meanwhile, frustrated the Red Wings through most of the game, holding them to two hits over six innings, striking out six while at one point reaching triple-digits on the radar gun. A seventh-inning solo shot from Pablo Reyes locked in the final 8-0 score.
The second game proved far more dramatic but also far more heart-breaking for the 7,948 fans in attendance.
In the bottom of the first, centerfielder Robert Hassell III walked and then stole second, but the two hitters following him struck out. Two outs is not three, however, and right-fielder Nick Schnell started a two-out rally with a single to right that brought Hassell in to score and give the Wings a 1-0 lead. During the play, Syracuse right fielder Gilberto Celestino misplayed the ball, but not enough for Schnell to move to second. It was ultimately foreshadowing, however, as Andrew Pinckney followed with a single that Celestino bobbled badly to result in an error that brought in Schnell and allowed Pinckney to move to second.
The 2-0 score would hold for much of the game, as Shuman went 6.2 innings while spreading out five hits and striking out three in the longest outing of his professional career. However, the Red Wings couldn’t get any more runs against a “bullpen game” from Syracuse, and Shuman made two critical mistakes in close proximity in the fifth with one out. First, he hung a curveball over the middle to Celestino, who lined it over the left-center field fence to make it 2-1. Before the new score could even settle over the crowd, Syracuse centerfielder Drew Gilbert got hold of a 94 MPH fastball from the Georgia Southern alum and deposited it into the right-field bullpen. The game was tied.
“He made two mistakes,” said LeCroy. “He was cruising, he had a good mix. He threw the ball, he moved the ball around, he got some ground balls, got some fly balls… and he just made two mistakes in that one inning and they tied it up.”
The Red Wings had opportunities to take the lead. Jose Tena got to second with a single and stolen base with two outs in the fifth, and the Wings got men at the corners in the sixth, and two men reached scoring position in the seventh, but each time, they walked away with a zero in the line score.
Then, in the eighth inning, the first extra inning of the seven-inning game, the Mets put the game out of reach quickly, jumping on Jack Sinclair and Patrick Weigel for eight runs, including Gilbert’s second home run of the night. The Red Wings then went down quietly in the bottom half for the loss.
“We couldn’t get that big hit in the six and seventh, and that was kind of it,” says LeCroy. “We didn’t get the big hit, and then later the bullpen had a big meltdown.”
The Red Wings will still have a chance to conclude their series with a win against Syracuse on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. Left-hander Andrew Alvarez (0-6, 4.67) is set to take the mound for Rochester against Syracuse’s Justin Hagenman (0-2, 6.16). New York Mets’ legend “Doc” Dwight Gooden will be in attendance to sign autographs.
Your coverage if the Wings is absolutely outstanding!!!!!
You guys are the best!
Great job by everyone and Paul thank you for making this all happen.