Cuse Game Notes - Syracuse rallies back to split Saturday doubleheader at Rochester

 

Travis Blankenhorn hit a two-run home run on Saturday afternoon and has four homers this season (Rick Nelson).

Rochester, NY – The Syracuse Mets split a doubleheader at the Rochester Red Wings on Saturday afternoon, winning the second game, 4-2, after dropping the first game, 3-0. The Mets have won two of the first five games of the series and have the chance to split the six-game series with a win in the series finale on Sunday afternoon.  

  

Game one of the doubleheader was headlined by sterling pitching and timely hitting for the Rochester Red Wings. Rochester starting pitcher Cade Cavalli kept Syracuse batters off balance all afternoon. The top prospect in the Nationals system did not allow a hit in his five and one-third scoreless innings, scattering three walks with one strikeout. Cavalli ceded the scene to Jordan Weems after that, who took it the rest of the way for the Red Wings. The right-handed reliever pitched the final 1 and two-thirds innings, not allowing a run on just one hit with three strikeouts.  

  

On the other side, Félix Peña turned in a quality start himself for the Mets. The right-hander allowed just one unearned run in the top of the first when two singles plus an error allowed Jake Noll to cross home plate for Rochester. Peña struck out two on just three hits. He attacked the strike zone, throwing 38 of his 52 pitches for strikes. 

  

The first game remained a 1-0 ballgame until the bottom of the sixth, when the Red Wings pulled away for good. First, Luis García reached on a one-out error, moving to second base on a single by Noll. Then, Josh Palacios sliced a double down the left-field line, plating both García and Noll and completing the scoring in game one of the doubleheader for a 3-0 Red Wings win. Palacios finished the game 2-for-3 with two runs driven in and has driven in six runs so far in the series.  

  

Game two of the doubleheader followed an eerily similar pattern, but the Mets took advantage of quality pitching and timely hitting this time. Syracuse roared out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Wyatt Young led off the game with his first Triple-A home run. Young had a great plate appearance – on the ninth pitch of the at-bat, he lined a laser-beam shot over the right-field wall after several foul balls earlier in his plate appearance.  

  

The fourth inning brought more runs home for the Mets, again via the long ball. After a one-out single from Carlos Rincon, Travis Blankenhorn blasted the first pitch he saw over the fence in right-center field for a two-run shot and a 3-0 Syracuse lead.  

  

Rob Zastryzny started the second game of the doubleheader for the Mets and began his outing in excellent fashion. The native Texan started with three scoreless innings, dancing out of danger in the bottom of the third. The Red Wings had runners on first and third with nobody out, but Zastryzny wiggled his way out of the jam, inducing a strikeout, a pop out, and another strikeout to avoid damage in the third. 

  

However, Zastryzny could not avoid damage in the fourth. A one-out solo home run from Joey Meneses made it a 3-1 game, followed by a Donovan Casey double that later led to Zastryzny being lifted from the game. Antonio Santos came on with Casey on second and two outs, promptly allowing an RBI double to Andrew Young that made it a 3-2 game. Santos walked Alfredo Rodriguez to extend the inning, then finally ended it when Matt Lipka grounded out to shortstop.  

  

Syracuse was now in need of insurance, and they would get it in the top of the sixth. Carlos Cortes doubled with one out, hustling his way to second on a line drive into the gap in right-center field. Cortes moved to third after a Blankenhorn groundout, then got the chance to hustle home when Mark Vientos blooped a double down the right-field line. The two-bagger for Vientos made the game 4-2 and completed the day’s scoring.  

  

Given a late 4-2 lead, the Syracuse bullpen wouldn’t let it go to waste. Stephen Nogosek tossed the final two innings of the game in scoreless fashion, stranding two baserunners in the sixth and one more in the seventh to secure the victory. It marked the first save of the season for the former Oregon Duck.  

  

Syracuse finishes its six-game series at the Rochester Red Wings with a game on Sunday afternoon. Left-hander Mike Montgomery is slated to start for the Mets, opposed by right-hander Luis Reyes for the Red Wings. First pitch of the first game of the doubleheader is set for 1:05 p.m.