Red Wings Rally Late, Walk Off Mets for Ninth Straight Win

By Christopher Drummond

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Red Wings won their ninth straight game in dramatic walk-off fashion Monday night, defeating the Syracuse Mets 8-5 in front of a season-high crowd at Innovative Field.

Abimelec Ortiz delivered the biggest swing of the night, blasting a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to cap off a four-run comeback inning for Rochester. Ortiz finished with four RBIs and has now hit six home runs over his last seven games.

The Red Wings jumped out to an early lead thanks to Rochester call-up Seaver King. Playing in his first home game of the season, King crushed the first pitch of his first at-bat for his first home run of the year, giving Rochester a 1-0 advantage.

Rochester kept the pressure on in the third inning when Yohandy Morales drove in a run with a single before Ortiz followed with an RBI double, extending the lead to 3-0.

However, Syracuse would not go away quietly.

Andy Ibanez answered in the top of the fourth with an RBI double to cut the deficit to 3-1. Then in the sixth inning, Eric Wagaman launched a no-doubt home run to straightaway center field, tying the game at 3-3. It was Wagaman’s fourth homer of the season. Syracuse entered the game four games above .500 and showed why, battling toe-to-toe with one of the hottest teams in Triple-A baseball.

Rochester responded quickly.

King came through again in the bottom of the sixth with an opposite-field RBI single to put the Red Wings back on top, 4-3.

Still, the Mets kept fighting.

In the top of the eighth inning, both Ryan Clifford and Wagaman delivered RBI singles to give Syracuse a late 5-4 lead, putting Rochester’s eight-game winning streak in jeopardy heading into the final inning.

Then came the fireworks.

Leading off the bottom of the ninth, Trey Lipscomb crushed a game-tying solo home run, sending the crowd of more than 10,000 fans into a frenzy. The blast tied the game at 5-5 and continued Lipscomb’s hot streak, as he now has nine RBIs over his last five games and seven home runs on the season.

After Morales singled and Robert Hassell Jr. drew a walk, Ortiz stepped to the plate with a full count and delivered once again. The slugger launched his eighth home run of the season — a towering three-run shot — to seal an 8-5 Red Wings victory.

Ortiz, who now leads the team with 39 RBIs, spoke through a translator after the game about his recent success and the team’s performance.

“I wanted to put a good swing on the ball,” Ortiz said. “I took a bad swing on a pitch and I knew it. I have to give all the glory to God. It starts with the work in the cages and me getting with my coaches. Then I’m able to put the work in and show off when I play.”

Red Wings manager Matthew LeCroy also reflected on the comeback victory and the energy inside the ballpark.

“The reason why fans should come out to support the team is because of today’s result,” LeCroy said. “When you have two good teams battling it out and you get contributions from several people, it makes it better when you win. We have great leadership with the guys and the front office. We have guys that continue to battle, and that’s what makes it fun.”

The Red Wings will have Tuesday off before returning to the mound for a day game on Wednesday.