Trevor Williams outstanding again but Rochester takes round one of “Duel of the Dishes" with 2-1 walk-off win on Thursday night

*Rochester, NY - *In the first edition of the “Duel of the Dishes” in 2021, a pitcher's duel ended with a 2-1 Rochester Plates walk-off victory over the Syracuse Salt Potatoes on Thursday night at Frontier Field. Lane Thomas ended the game with a walk-off single for Rochester. Meanwhile, in his second start with Syracuse since being traded by the Chicago Cubs last week, Salt Potatoes pitcher Trevor Williams was impressive once again. The 29-year-old right-hander delivered six innings, allowing just one run on five hits while walking one and striking out four. On the other side, Rochester starter Sean Nolin dealt six shutout innings, allowing four hits with no walks and four strikeouts.

Syracuse (27-52) saw a scoring opportunity in the top of the second when Khalil Lee hit a two-out double, and then Martin Cervenka reached on an error to put runners on the corners for the Salt Potatoes. However, Orlando Calixte grounded out for the third out of the frame.

The Salt Potatoes didn’t get another hit until the top of the fifth when Lee led off the frame another double. After Cervenka flied out, Calixte singled to advance Lee to third base. The Salt Potatoes failed to score though as César Puello grounded out for the third out.

Rochester (32-44) brought the first run of the game home in the bottom of the sixth. Thomas hit a one-out single, and then Ali Castillo flied out. Kiebert Ruiz followed with a single to advance Thomas from first base to third base. Then, Daniel Palka delivered with a two-out RBI single to score Thomas and give the Plates a 1-0 lead.

The Salt Potatoes missed another scoring opportunity in the top of the seventh. Lee connected on a one-out single for his third hit of the night. Cervenka followed with a walk to put runners on first and second. However, Calixte struck out and Blankenhorn lined out to end the scoring threat.

Syracuse finally got on the board in the top of the eighth when Mason Williams blasted a game-tying home solo home run over the center-field wall to knot the game up, 1-1. The homer was Williams’s third of the season and second against Rochester.

With the game still tied at one going into the bottom of the ninth, Tom Windle took the mound for Syracuse. After two quick outs, Windle issued a walk to Jecksson Flores. Jake Noll followed with an infield single, advancing Flores to second base. Thomas then ripped a single down the first-base line that scored Flores from second base to walk it off for Rochester as the Plates won, 2-1.

The two foes will turn back to the Syracuse Mets and Rochester Red Wings on Friday night for game four of the six-game series from Frontier Field. Left-hander Josh Walker makes his second start for Syracuse against Rochester southpaw Josh Rogers. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.