BY DAN GLICKMAN
The Rochester Red Wings ended May by doing something they didn’t do much of all month: lose, as the team fell 11-6 in the final game of their six game series against the Syracuse Mets on Sunday.
The loss moved the Wings to 34-22 on the season, and puts them a half-game back of both Memphis and Nashville for the International League lead, both of whom won on Sunday. However, it was rare blemish on what had been a historic May, going 20-6. It was the most wins the team had in a month since the squad went 20-10 in June of 2019. The high-point of the month was a 10-game winning streak, the longest for the Red Wings since 1992.
On Sunday, the Red Wings fell behind in the fourth inning, as the Mets racked up six runs against Wings starter Andry Lara, including a three-run shot by Nick Morabito. Although the Red Wings got a run back in the bottom of the fourth on a Brady House solo home run, runs in the fifth and sixth extended the Mets lead to 8-1.
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The Red Wings tried to stage a comeback, as House hit another solo shot in the sixth (his fourth since being sent down from Washington) and the Red Wings added four more in the seventh to make it 8-6, but they couldn’t score any more, while Syracuse scored three insurance runs across the final two innings to put the game further out of reach.
Despite the loss, Rochester is firmly in the playoff race. Although they will need to hold the best record in the International League on June 22 – three series remain to overtake Memphis and Nashville, they have an advantage in the fact that over two-thirds of their remaining games for the first half are at ESL Ballpark. In addition, every team they face the rest of the first half of the season are at .500 or below – in contrast, Memphis and Nashville will face tougher schedules, including a final week showdown between each other.
Should the Wings win the first half, not only will they clinch the team’s first playoff appearance since 2013, but also their first as a Washington Nationals affiliate. A first half pennant would also mean the Red Wings would host the best-of-three Governor’s Cup series beginning Sept. 22, with the winner of that series heading to Las Vegas for the Triple-A National Championship Game on Sept. 26.
On Saturday, after a 5-3 win against Syracuse, Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy spoke of the playoff race the Wings now find themselves in.
“It’s why we’re here,” he said. “Let’s try to win as many games as we can, and play for something. That’s what they’re doing, and they’ve put us in a good spot.”
And for the remainder of the half?
“It should be a fun little stretch,” LeCroy said. “Every game is going to matter down here, so I’m just excited these guys put themselves in this position.”
The stretch continues on Tuesday when the Red Wings head to Allentown to begin a six-game set at the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m.
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