The Rochester Red Wings couldn't find their rhythm at the plate on Wednesday night, managing just one late run in a 3-1 loss to the Syracuse Mets at NBT Bank Stadium. The defeat evens the series at one game apiece, with Rochester slipping to 17-18 while Syracuse improves to 19-15.
Syracuse wasted no time jumping ahead, scoring in each of the first three innings. Ryan Clifford launched a solo home run in the first, Hayden Senger added an RBI double in the second, and Christian Arroyo's RBI single in the third made it 3-0. Mets starter Jack Wenninger was sharp, tossing six scoreless innings to keep Rochester's bats quiet.
The Red Wings' best chance to crack the scoreboard came in the fifth inning. Robert Hassell III singled, Trey Lipscomb sacrificed him to second, and the Red Wings loaded the bases on a walk and a hit batter. But a groundout ended the threat, leaving runners stranded.
Rochester finally broke through in the eighth. Christian Franklin was hit by a pitch, Harry Ford singled, and Dylan Crews delivered an RBI double to center field. But a strikeout ended the rally, and the Red Wings went down in order in the ninth to seal the loss.
Offensively, it was a tough night for Rochester. The team managed just five hits, left nine runners on base, and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Hassell III led the way with two singles, while Crews provided the lone extra-base hit with his eighth-inning double. Ford reached base twice on a single and a walk, and Lipscomb added a single and a sacrifice bunt. Franklin scored the Red Wings' only run after being hit by a pitch to open the eighth.
On the mound, Luis Perales took the loss but settled in after a rocky start. He worked five innings, allowing three runs on five hits with five strikeouts and one walk. The early damage, including Clifford's first-inning homer, was enough to push his record to 0-4 with a 4.56 ERA.
The Red Wings will look to bounce back and grab the series lead in the next matchup. For now, it's a reminder that baseball can be a game of inches—and sometimes, a few early swings are all it takes to decide the outcome.