Syracuse Mets Recap: Morel's Three-Homer Masterclass Gives Syracuse Series Finale Victory over Rochester Sunday

Box Score

Rochester, N.Y. – Christopher Morel launched three home runs, including the go-ahead three-run blast in the sixth inning, as the Syracuse Mets rallied past the Rochester Red Wings, 9-7, on Sunday afternoon at ESL Ballpark.

Syracuse (14-18, 52-55) struck first with a three-run second inning. Mike Tauchman walked and Jihwan Bae singled before Cristian Pache lined an RBI double to right field. Ben Rortvedt followed with an RBI single, and after Zack Short walked to load the bases, Nick Morabito lifted a sacrifice fly to center to give the Mets a 3-0 lead.

Rochester (18-15, 63-43) answered with a run in the bottom of the second on Leandro Pineda's RBI single before Morel extended Syracuse's lead in the third. Ronny Mauricio singled to begin the inning, and Morel crushed a two-run homer to left-center, making it 5-1.

The Red Wings chipped away with an RBI double from Riley Adams in the third before taking control in the fifth. Trey Lipscomb delivered a two-run single to tie the game, and Maxwell Romero Jr. followed with a two-run double that put Rochester in front, 7-5. The Red Wings scored five runs on five hits.

The Mets responded immediately in the sixth. Short walked and Nick Morabito singled before Christian Arroyo reached on a fielder's choice and stole second. With two outs, Morel blasted his second homer of the game, a three-run shot to left field that swung Syracuse back in front, 8-7.

Morel added one more insurance run in the ninth, belting a solo homer to center for his third long ball of the afternoon and an insurance 9-7 lead.

On the mound, Tobias Myers started for Syracuse and allowed one earned run over three innings. Joe Jacques retired all three batters he faced in the fourth before Rochester rallied against Jacques and Ben Simon in the fifth. Matt Turner worked a scoreless sixth and seventh, Dan Hammer escaped the eighth with a line-drive double play, and Matt Seelinger closed out the ninth to earn the save.

Morel finished 3-for-5 with three home runs, six runs batted in, and three runs scored. Since Morel joined Syracuse on July 1, he is the International League's leader in SLG (.761), tied for second in home runs (8), and fourth in OPS (1.174). Morel hit the second three-run game by the Mets this season (Ronny Mauricio, April 21 at Worcester).

Pache went 1-for-2 with an RBI double, two walks, and two runs scored, while Bae collected two hits and scored once.

Syracuse's two-week road trip is over, and the Mets head back home on Tuesday to open a six-game series against the Columbus Clippers. First pitch at NBT Bank Stadium is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.