Red Wings deliver fireworks to win in extras

By: Elias Vega-Diaz

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Coming off the end of a sizzling 10-game winning streak on Thursday, the 32-21 Rochester Red Wings looked to come back with a win against the 28-25 Syracuse Mets. A back and forth game saw the Red Wings trade leads with the Mets before walking it off in the 11th in a Friday night thriller.

Center fielder Andrew Pickney trots the bases after a record-setting homer. Friday, May 29, 2026. (Photo: Ethan Bissinger/Rochester Red Wings)

"...We have a chance every night to win," Manager Matt LeCroy said postgame. "We have a chance every night to win, and they (the team) know that." Getting the start for Rochester in his second-ever Triple-A game would be LHP Jackson Kent. Called up from Double-A Harrisburg, Kent had his first start on May 25 against Worcester, where he spun five innings of a two-run ball, only giving up three hits for the win. The fireworks would get started early on as Rochester jumped forward 1-0. Yohandy Morales would get on base with a gap-shot double, with Abimelec Ortiz swatting a pitch off Syracuse's Jackson Kent with two outs to drive in Morales. Morales has been a driver for this Red Wings offense, coming into the day ranked second in RBIs and hits, and first in runs in Triple-A. Morales has been particularly stout in matchups against Kent, batting 1.000 against him in 2 appearances with a home run and an RBI. Syracuse would rock the Red Wings at the top of the third, jumping out to a 7-1 lead. Mets left fielder Ji Hwan Bae led the inning off with a walk, followed by a base hit down the third base line by catcher Kevin Parada that was bobbled at third. Shortstop Jackson Cluff would drive Parada in by skying a ball down the third base line, falling just inside the line to stay fair. Nick Morabito would deliver a sharp line drive double that knicked the glove of Rochester's Morales at third, staying in play long enough to clear the bases for a score of 3-1. Syracuse continued their run with second baseman Yonny Hernandez legging out a single off a bunt, leading to a three-run homer over the left-center triangle from first baseman Christian Arroyo. The Mets would end their scoring run with another homer just under the right field scoreboard, this time from right fielder Ryan Clifford to solidify their lead 7-1. Rochester wouldn't wait to respond, chipping away at the lead at the bottom of the frame to make it 7-3. Ortiz would get on base again for Rochester, dropping a ball into shallow left-center. This would set up a 2-run home run courtesy of center fielder Andrew Pickney at a blazing speed of 119 miles per hour, the fastest at any minor league level this season. The Red Wings resumed their comeback run in the bottom of the fourth, inching closer to Syracuse 7-5. Right fielder Robert Hassell III would lead off the inning with a deep double to the wall, leading to a belting two-run shot from second baseman Trey Lipscomb to the left field patio for his tenth home run of the year.

Lipscomb stares down his homer in the bottom of the fourth. Friday, May 29, 2026. (Photo: Ethan Bissinger/Rochester Red Wings)

Rochester would tie the game in the bottom of the seventh with another two-run homer

to make it a 7-7 ball game. With Harry Ford working a walk with one out, Morales would step in the box again, delivering a 369-foot hanger that gained enough distance to get over the right field bullpen wall, sending the ballpark into hysteria. "I was just trying to get on base, you know," Morales said postgame. "I had Abi (Abimelec) behind me, crushing the ball, and I was just trying to do what I can to get on base." Syracuse would reclaim the lead in the next frame to edge Rochester 8-7. Bae would get on base for the third time today, with a single, then proceeded to steal second. Parada would get another hit, this time an RBI, as he would launch a ball past Pickney at center to drive in Bae home. Down to their last out, the Red Wings would tie things up in the bottom of the ninth with a miracle moonshot. Facing a 1-0 count, Morales would crush a slider middle-middle to send it 426 feet to the batter's eye in center field for his second homer of the day, tying the game 8-8 in dramatic fashion. "I hit it good," said Morales about his homer in the bottom of the ninth. "...I didn't even see it going out, so I put my hands on my ear when I saw it go out, and that's it."

Third baseman Yohandy Morales celebrates his game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth. Friday, May 29, 2026. (Photo: Grant Bush-Resko/Rochester Red Wings)

Chaos would ensue in the bottom of the 11th, with the Red Wings delivering the final blow to break the tie and win the game. The inning would start off with a throwing error on the behalf of Mets catcher Parada, allowing ghost runner Riley Adams to move to third. The bases were then promptly loaded by a Christian Franklin 4-pitch walk and Morales getting intentionally walked. With one out, Philip Glasser was put in to pinch-hit and delivered, with a ball soaring just outside of Syracuses' Arroyo's reach at first to drop in for a hit, bringing in Adams for a 9-8 final score. "It's like we're gonna be in the ball game one way or another," said Glasser postgame. "I'm staying loose the whole time (in preperation). It's pretty special." Getting the win for Rochester today would be Luke Young, who held the Red Wings down in extra innings, pitching two hitless innings with two strikeouts. On the losing side would be Alex Carillo for Syracuse, pitching 1.2 innings with three walks and two strikeouts before giving up the walk-off single to Glasser. "He made some really good pitches," said LeCroy when asked about Young. "He executed the breaking ball, slider, and he let up that fastball to 97 (miles per hour), so he kept us in the ballgame." The Red Wings now improve to 33-21 and keep their spot atop the International League in Triple A. The Mets will drop down to two games above .500 at 28-26, dropping down to the fifth spot in the International League East. Both teams will face off on Saturday for game five of Rochester's homestand, with first pitch slated for 6:45 pm.