Mets Jump on Red Wings Early To Retake Series Lead

The Red Wings fell short in this afternoon matinee game, mustering two runs on five hits to lose to the Syracuse Mets by a score of 4-2, their third loss of the series, which drops the Wings back down to .500 on the season. SS Jack Dunn paced the Red Wing offense, going 2-for-4 with a home run, an RBI, and a run scored. RHP Joan Adon took the ball for Rochester on Sunday, giving up four earned runs (one in each of the first four innings), which proved to be the difference.

The Mets got on the board immediately in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead. 2B Luisangel Acuña hit a slow chopper up the middle for a lead-off infield single. A balk allowed Acuña to advance into scoring position, and he advanced to third on a 3B Luke Ritter line drive single to left field. DH Rylan Bannon pushed across the first run of the day by grounding into a double play that allowed Acuña to score, making it a 1-0 game.

After a scoreless bottom of the first, the Mets scored another run in the top of the second. CF Trayce Thompson led off the inning with a line-drive double that hugged the left-field line. A ground out by SS Jose Iglesias moved Thompson to third base, and three batters later, 1B Mike Brosseau walked to put runners on the corners for the nine-hole hitter C Hayden Senger. The backstop’s 106.2 MPH single to center field scored Thompson to make the score 2-0.

Syracuse plated another run for the third straight inning to extend their lead to 3-0. Bannon ignited the inning with a one-out walk and was waved around to score on another Thompson double, his second of the game.

The Mets scored for the fourth consecutive inning in the top of the fourth, building their lead to 4-0. Brosseau led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch and moved into scoring position after Senger roped a 100.4 MPH single to center field. Luke Ritter worked a walk, loading the bases for Rylan Bannon, who launched a deep sacrifice fly to center field, pushing across Brosseau to make it a 4-0 ballgame.

The Red Wings finally ended the shutout in the bottom of the fourth, when SS Jack Dunn launched a home run on a 1-0 cutter that traveled 390 feet into the visitor’s bullpen. This was the Northwestern alum’s third home run of the year and second that traveled further than 380 feet. The solo shot cut the deficit to three runs, making it 4-1 after four innings of play.

Rochester pushed across another run in the bottom half of the fifth. After a LF Darren Baker single and a CF James Wood double. 1B Juan Yepez plated a run on a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Baker, bringing the Wings to within two runs, 4-2.

Syracuse pitching took control for the remainder of the game, allowing just one combined hit from the seventh inning on. PH Carter Kieboom collected the lone hit with two outs in the ninth, but was stranded at second base as Syracuse locked up their third win of the series, 4-2.

RHP Joan Adon made his sixth start of the season and fifth start for Rochester. The Santo Domingo native allowed four runs on seven hits and four walks over 5.0 innings of work while recording three punchouts. This is the fourth straight game that Adon has managed to go 4.0 innings or more toeing the rubber this season. RHP Robert Gsellman entered in relief in the top of the sixth inning, going two innings, allowing no runs on two hits with one strikeout. RHP Luis Reyes replaced Gsellman to start the top of the eighth inning, going one inning and giving up no runs on one strikeout this afternoon. RHP Rico Garia entered from the bullpen at the start of the ninth inning, putting Syracuse down in order while collecting two strikeouts.

The Diamond Pro Player of the Game award goes to SS Jack Dunn. The Georgia native went 2-for-4 with a home run, an RBI and a run scored. He has now hit safely in a team-leading six consecutive games, dating back to game two of a doubleheader in St. Paul on 4/27. Over that span, he is 9-for-21 (.429), with a home run, two doubles,, seven RBI, and three walks.

The Rochester Red Wings will look to ensure a series split in Sunday afternoon's finale of their six-game homestand against Syracuse. RHP Jackson Rutledge will take the mound against RHP Dom Hamel. The first pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.

Find the box score attached here.