By: Mike Rose
The Rochester Red Wings continued their recent hot streak as they knocked off the Syracuse Mets 6-1. Rochester has now won seven of its last eight games dating back to game one of the series against Toledo last Tuesday. Five of the six runs for Rochester came in the opening two frames and they never looked back.
The Red Wings would finish with 11 hits in the game, marking the fourth game in a row with 10 or more. Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy believes stability in the lineup has been a big key to the recent stretch of quality play from his team.
"I think our lineup is becoming a bit more stable. We added some guys, (Jake) Alu is back. (Nomar) Mazara started off not driving the ball the way we know he can, we get (Franmil) Reyes here and hope we can get him going and Matty Adams has been a nice addition to our club this year and has been a veteran presence for us in the clubhouse. We're walking more, we're making better swing choices and hopefully we'll continue to do that," LeCroy said.
Carter Kieboom got the scoring started early as he crushed the second pitch he saw off the scoreboard for a 425-foot two-run home run. It was the former Nationals top prospect's second long ball of the season as he continues to round back to form after missing all of the 2022-23 campaign and the early portion of this season due to injury.
"That's why we work hard to get back to where we are today. All I can do is take it one day at a time, keep having good at-bats and everything else will take care of itself," Kieboom said.
Kieboom would reach base four times in total on the day as he walked twice and doubled in addition to the home run.
The second inning played out much like the first as Drew Millas and Erick Meija led off the inning with back-to-back solo homers. Millas, the No. 29 ranked prospect in the Nationals organization, started at catcher in what was just his sixth game with the team and his first game at Innovative Field. Millas would add a base hit in the sixth in his home debut.
Rochester would tack on one more in the inning when an error by Syracuse's Lorenzo Cedrola allowed Richie Martin to come all the way around from first to score and make it 5-0. Jake Alu tacked on the sixth run of the game with an RBI double in the eighth that scored Meija. Syracuse would record its only run of the day in the top of the ninth but Jose Ferrerr eventually closed the door to seal the win.
Joan Adon played a starring role for Rochester on the mound in the win. He pitched six scoreless innings allowing only three hits and two walks with three strikeouts in what was his second performance of the season allowing no runs. Millas credited veteran arms like Adon for making his transition to working with a new staff a seamless one.
"Usually it's hard but with this group it's been very, very easy. We got a lot of veteran guys that communicate and a lot of guys I caught in spring training that I already know. A lot of times people don't realize how difficult it is for a catcher to really get used to a whole new staff who you really haven't caught in months so it's nice to have a lot of veteran guys here that'll communicate with you and let you know what they want," Millas said.
Red Wings manager Matt LeCroy meanwhile was relieved Adon gave his bullpen a bit of a reprieve after a busy Monday.
"Ureña just couldn't find the strike zone (Monday) and we had to eat up some innings so I was really pleased that he was able to go six and give the guys a blow down there. With that outing for Adon, we should be lined up pretty good for tomorrow and we'll continue to keep rolling," LeCroy said.
The Red Wings will look to do just that when they host the Mets in game three of the six-game set tomorrow at Innovative Field with the first pitch scheduled for 6:45 pm.