Cole's Strong Start Goes to Waste in Extras
IL Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

Cole's Strong Start Goes to Waste in Extras

Published on May 16, 2026 under International League (IL)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


MOOSIC, PA - The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders fell to the Syracuse Mets 6-2 Saturday night at PNC Field. Yankees ace Gerrit Cole pitched five strong innings in an MLB rehab appearance, allowing just one run while mixing his pitches effectively and touching nearly 100 MPH on his fastball.

Cole faced the minimum in the first two opening frames, striking out Mets #3 Prospect Ryan Clifford to end the first and using his slider, sinker, curve, and fastball to close the second clean.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre opened the offense in the home half of the frame against Mets starter Xzavion Curry. With two outs, Ernesto Martinez Jr. recorded the first hit of the game for the RailRiders before Ali Sánchez blasted his fifth homer of the season for a 2-0 edge.

Syracuse plated a run in the top of the third. With two out and two aboard, Ji Hwan Bae legged out an RBI single to pull within one. Cole came back to strike out Clifford for the second time to finish an inning, throwing his fastest pitch of the evening at 99.6 MPH in the at-bat

In the top of the fourth, Syracuse's Eric Wagaman doubled and tried to score on a Yonny Hernández single, but left-fielder Jonathan Ornelas gunned Wagaman down to keep the game a one-run contest. Cole then fanned Jackson Cluff to end the frame.

Cole continued his night into the fifth, freezing Kevin Parada on a four-seam fastball, striking out Mets #11 Prospect Nick Morabito with a changeup, and retiring Clifford to close an inning for the third time to hold the lead. He recorded the first out of the sixth before being pulled for reliever Yerry De Los Santos.

The Mets leveled the game in the top of the eighth. After Bae walked, stole second, and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly, Christian Arroyo singled to tie the game at two.

In the ninth, Ernesto Martínez Jr. walked, and Kenedy Corona entered as a pinch runner, moving over to second on a groundout. With two outs, Mets #17 Prospect Dylan Ross struck out Duke Ellis to send the game to extras.

Syracuse took their first lead of the night in the top of the tenth when Morabito singled home Parada from second. After Clifford walked, the Mets pulled ahead two runs on an Arroyo RBI double. A wild pitch plated Clifford, and Wagaman singled home Arroyo for a 6-2 cushion.

Cole worked 5.1 innings, allowing one run on six hits, striking out six on 86 pitches, 56 for strikes. Curry threw 5.0 frames, giving up two runs on six hits. Rafael Montero (0-1) tossed 1.1 innings, allowing three runs on one hit in the loss. The victory went to Ross (2-0), who pitched two scoreless innings for the win.

The RailRiders conclude their series with Syracuse on "Sunday Family Fun Day", presented by Geisinger & 28/22 Together with You. The RailRider's #4 Prospect Carlos Lagrange (0-2) takes on Mets #5 Prospect Jack Wenninger (3-1). First pitch is slated for 1:35 PM. Tickets and promotional details are available at www.swbrailriders.com.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Record: 22-20

*** Part 1.1 - ASCII

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE RAILRIDERS GAME REPORT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Syracuse 6 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 2 (10) By Michael Struckus MOOSIC, PA - The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders fell to the Syracuse Mets 6-2 Saturday night at PNC Field. Yankees ace Gerrit Cole pitched five strong innings in an MLB rehab appearance, allowing just one run while mixing his pitches effectively and touching nearly 100 MPH on his fastball. Cole faced the minimum in the first two opening frames, striking out Mets #3 Prospect Ryan Clifford to end the first and using his slider, sinker, curve, and fastball to close the second clean. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre opened the offense in the home half of the frame against Mets starter Xzavion Curry. With two outs, Ernesto Martinez Jr. recorded the first hit of the game for the RailRiders before Ali Sánchez blasted his fifth homer of the season for a 2-0 edge. Syracuse plated a run in the top of the third. With two out and two aboard, Ji Hwan Bae legged out an RBI single to pull within one. Cole came back to strike out Clifford for the second time to finish an inning, throwing his fastest pitch of the evening at 99.6 MPH in the at-bat In the top of the fourth, Syracuse's Eric Wagaman doubled and tried to score on a Yonny Hernández single, but left-fielder Jonathan Ornelas gunned Wagaman down to keep the game a one-run contest. Cole then fanned Jackson Cluff to end the frame. Cole continued his night into the fifth, freezing Kevin Parada on a four-seam fastball, striking out Mets #11 Prospect Nick Morabito with a changeup, and retiring Clifford to close an inning for the third time to hold the lead. He recorded the first out of the sixth before being pulled for reliever Yerry De Los Santos. The Mets leveled the game in the top of the eighth. After Bae walked, stole second, and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly, Christian Arroyo singled to tie the game at two. In the ninth, Ernesto Martínez Jr. walked, and Kenedy Corona entered as a pinch runner, moving over to second on a groundout. With two outs, Mets #17 Prospect Dylan Ross struck out Duke Ellis to send the game to extras. Syracuse took their first lead of the night in the top of the tenth when Morabito singled home Parada from second. After Clifford walked, the Mets pulled ahead two runs on an Arroyo RBI double. A wild pitch plated Clifford, and Wagaman singled home Arroyo for a 6-2 cushion. Cole worked 5.1 innings, allowing one run on six hits, striking out six on 86 pitches, 56 for strikes. Curry threw 5.0 frames, giving up two runs on six hits. Rafael Montero (0-1) tossed 1.1 innings, allowing three runs on one hit in the loss. The victory went to Ross (2-0), who pitched two scoreless innings for the win. The RailRiders conclude their series with Syracuse on "Sunday Family Fun Day", presented by Geisinger & 28/22 Together with You. The RailRider's #4 Prospect Carlos Lagrange (0-2) takes on Mets #5 Prospect Jack Wenninger (3-1). First pitch is slated for 1:35 PM. Tickets and promotional details are available at www.swbrailriders.com. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Record: 22-20

>

*** Part 1 - ASCII

--_000_SA6PR17MB74780BA399D7AC5C77130A26D5022SA6PR17MB7478namp_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE RAILRIDERS GAME REPORT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Syracuse 6 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 2 (10) By Michael Struckus MOOSIC, PA - The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders fell to the Syracuse Mets 6-2 Saturday night at PNC Field. Yankees ace Gerrit Cole pitched five strong innings in an MLB rehab appearance, allowing just one run while mixing his pitches effectively and touching nearly 100 MPH on his fastball. Cole faced the minimum in the first two opening frames, striking out Mets #3 Prospect Ryan Clifford to end the first and using his slider, sinker, curve, and fastball to close the second clean. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre opened the offense in the home half of the frame against Mets starter Xzavion Curry. With two outs, Ernesto Martinez Jr. recorded the first hit of the game for the RailRiders before Ali Sánchez blasted his fifth homer of the season for a 2-0 edge. Syracuse plated a run in the top of the third. With two out and two aboard, Ji Hwan Bae legged out an RBI single to pull within one. Cole came back to strike out Clifford for the second time to finish an inning, throwing his fastest pitch of the evening at 99.6 MPH in the at-bat In the top of the fourth, Syracuse's Eric Wagaman doubled and tried to score on a Yonny Hernández single, but left-fielder Jonathan Ornelas gunned Wagaman down to keep the game a one-run contest. Cole then fanned Jackson Cluff to end the frame. Cole continued his night into the fifth, freezing Kevin Parada on a four-seam fastball, striking out Mets #11 Prospect Nick Morabito with a changeup, and retiring Clifford to close an inning for the third time to hold the lead. He recorded the first out of the sixth before being pulled for reliever Yerry De Los Santos. The Mets leveled the game in the top of the eighth. After Bae walked, stole second, and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly, Christian Arroyo singled to tie the game at two. In the ninth, Ernesto Martínez Jr. walked, and Kenedy Corona entered as a pinch runner, moving over to second on a groundout. With two outs, Mets #17 Prospect Dylan Ross struck out Duke Ellis to send the game to extras. Syracuse took their first lead of the night in the top of the tenth when Morabito singled home Parada from second. After Clifford walked, the Mets pulled ahead two runs on an Arroyo RBI double. A wild pitch plated Clifford, and Wagaman singled home Arroyo for a 6-2 cushion. Cole worked 5.1 innings, allowing one run on six hits, striking out six on 86 pitches, 56 for strikes. Curry threw 5.0 frames, giving up two runs on six hits. Rafael Montero (0-1) tossed 1.1 innings, allowing three runs on one hit in the loss. The victory went to Ross (2-0), who pitched two scoreless innings for the win. The RailRiders conclude their series with Syracuse on "Sunday Family Fun Day", presented by Geisinger & 28/22 Together with You. The RailRider's #4 Prospect Carlos Lagrange (0-2) takes on Mets #5 Prospect Jack Wenninger (3-1). First pitch is slated for 1:35 PM. Tickets and promotional details are available at www.swbrailriders.com. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Record: 22-20

--_000_SA6PR17MB74780BA399D7AC5C77130A26D5022SA6PR17MB7478namp_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

P

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE RAILRIDERS

GAME REPORT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Syracuse 6 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 2 (10)

By Michael Struckus

MOOSIC, PA - The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders fell to the Syracuse Mets 6-2 Saturday night at PNC Field. Yankees ace Gerrit Cole pitched five strong innings in an MLB rehab appearance, allowing just one run while mixing his pitches effectively and touching nearly 100 MPH on his fastball.

Cole faced the minimum in the first two opening frames, striking out Mets #3 Prospect Ryan Clifford to end the first and using his slider, sinker, curve, and fastball to close the second clean.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre opened the offense in the home half of the frame against Mets starter Xzavion Curry. With two outs, Ernesto Martinez Jr. recorded the first hit of the game for the RailRiders before Ali Sánchez blasted his fifth homer of the season for a 2-0 edge.

Syracuse plated a run in the top of the third. With two out and two aboard, Ji Hwan Bae legged out an RBI single to pull within one. Cole came back to strike out Clifford for the second time to finish an inning, throwing his fastest pitch of the evening at 99.6 MPH in the at-bat

In the top of the fourth, Syracuse's Eric Wagaman doubled and tried to score on a Yonny Hernández single, but left-fielder Jonathan Ornelas gunned Wagaman down to keep the game a one-run contest. Cole then fanned Jackson Cluff to end the frame.

Cole continued his night into the fifth, freezing Kevin Parada on a four-seam fastball, striking out Mets #11 Prospect Nick Morabito with a changeup, and retiring Clifford to close an inning for the third time to hold the lead. He recorded the first out of the sixth before being pulled for reliever Yerry De Los Santos.

The Mets leveled the game in the top of the eighth. After Bae walked, stole second, and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly, Christian Arroyo singled to tie the game at two.

In the ninth, Ernesto Martínez Jr. walked, and Kenedy Corona entered as a pinch runner, moving over to second on a groundout. With two outs, Mets #17 Prospect Dylan Ross struck out Duke Ellis to send the game to extras.

Syracuse took their first lead of the night in the top of the tenth when Morabito singled home Parada from second. After Clifford walked, the Mets pulled ahead two runs on an Arroyo RBI double. A wild pitch plated Clifford, and Wagaman singled home Arroyo for a 6-2 cushion.

Cole worked 5.1 innings, allowing one run on six hits, striking out six on 86 pitches, 56 for strikes. Curry threw 5.0 frames, giving up two runs on six hits. Rafael Montero (0-1) tossed 1.1 innings, allowing three runs on one hit in the loss. The victory went to Ross (2-0), who pitched two scoreless innings for the win.

The RailRiders conclude their series with Syracuse on "Sunday Family Fun Day", presented by Geisinger & 28/22 Together with You. The RailRider's #4 Prospect Carlos Lagrange (0-2) takes on Mets #5 Prospect Jack Wenninger (3-1). First pitch is slated for 1:35 PM. Tickets and promotional details are available at www.swbrailriders.com.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Record: 22-20

--_000_SA6PR17MB74780BA399D7AC5C77130A26D5022SA6PR17MB7478namp_--

------ Attachment: BOX_5-16.pdf ------

SYR @ SWB | Box Score | MLB Research Tool

Syracuse Mets (23-20) 6,Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (22-20) 2 May 16th, 2026 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E Syracuse 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 4 6 11 0 Scranton/WB 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 7 0 Syracuse AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG Morabito, CF 5 1 1 1 0 1 2 .254 Bae, 2B 3 1 1 1 2 0 1 .287 Clifford, LF 4 1 0 0 1 2 4 .221 Arroyo, DH 5 1 2 2 0 0 0 .293 Wagaman, 1B 4 0 2 0 1 1 0 .181 Hernández, Y, 3B 5 0 2 1 0 0 2 .239 Pache, RF 5 0 1 0 0 2 2 .270 Cluff, SS 4 1 1 0 0 1 2 .131 Parada, C 4 0 1 0 0 3 0 .250 1-Rudick, PR 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Rortvedt, C 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .188 Curry, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Pintaro, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Lavender, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Ross, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 39 6 11 5 4 10 13 .240 1-Ran for Parada in the 10th.

BATTING 2B: Wagaman (3, Cole); Arroyo (6, Cruz, Y).

TB: Arroyo 3; Bae; Cluff; Hernández, Y 2; Morabito; Pache; Parada; Wagaman 3.

RBI: Arroyo 2 (24); Bae (14); Hernández, Y (10); Morabito (17).

2-out RBI: Arroyo; Bae.

Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Hernández, Y; Clifford; Cluff.

Team RISP: 7-for-13.

Team LOB: 8.

BASERUNNING SB: Bae (11, 2nd base off Coleman, C/Sánchez, A); Arroyo (5, 2nd base off Coleman, C/Sánchez, A).

Scranton/WB AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG Lombard Jr., SS 5 0 0 0 0 2 3 .127 Fernández, Y, RF 5 0 1 0 0 0 2 .252 Luciano, 2B 5 0 1 0 0 1 3 .259 Cabrera, O, 3B-1B 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 .236 Brown, S, DH 4 0 0 0 0 2 3 .226 Martinez Jr., 1B 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 .248 1-Corona, PR-LF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .182 Sánchez, A, C 4 1 1 2 0 2 1 .268 Ornelas, LF-3B 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 .333 Ellis, CF 4 0 1 0 0 2 3 .276 Cole, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 De los Santos, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Coleman, C, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Montero, R, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Cruz, Y, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 37 2 7 2 1 9 17 .248 1-Ran for Martinez Jr. in the 9th.

BATTING 2B: Ellis (4, Curry).

HR: Sánchez, A (5, 2nd inning off Curry, 1 on, 2 out).

TB: Cabrera, O; Ellis 2; Fernández, Y; Luciano; Martinez Jr.; Ornelas; Sánchez, A 4.

RBI: Sánchez, A 2 (10).

2-out RBI: Sánchez, A 2.

Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Luciano 2; Ellis; Brown, S; Lombard Jr.

Team RISP: 0-for-9.

Team LOB: 8.

BASERUNNING SB: Ornelas (2, 2nd base off Pintaro/Parada).

FIELDING Outfield assists: Ornelas (Wagaman at home).

DP: (Lombard Jr.-Luciano).

Syracuse IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Curry 5.0 6 2 2 0 3 1 3.60 Pintaro 2.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2.52 Lavender 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 6.00 Ross (W, 2-0) 2.0 0 0 0 1 3 0 2.70 Totals 10.0 7 2 2 1 9 1 4.60 Scranton/WB IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Cole 5.1 6 1 1 1 6 0 1.69 De los Santos (H, 2) 1.2 0 0 0 0 2 0 3.63 Coleman, C (BS, 1) 1.0 2 1 1 1 0 0 4.32 Montero, R (L, 0-1) 1.1 1 3 2 1 2 0 5.19 Cruz, Y 0.2 2 1 1 1 0 0 3.00 Totals 10.0 11 6 5 4 10 0 4.15 WP: Cruz, Y.

HBP: Ornelas (by Pintaro).

ABS Challenge: Ornelas (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Morabito (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Cluff (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Brown, S (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Pache (Strike- Confirmed).

Pitches-strikes: Curry 73-43; Pintaro 23-13; Lavender 17-10; Ross 22-15; Cole 86-56; De los Santos 14-10; Coleman, C 28-15; Montero, R 27-19; Cruz, Y 12-7.

Groundouts-fi‚youts: Curry 3-6; Pintaro 1-2; Lavender 0-1; Ross 2-0; Cole 4-4; De los Santos 2-1; Coleman, C 0-2; Montero, R 1-1; Cruz, Y 0-0.

Batters faced: Curry 21; Pintaro 7; Lavender 4; Ross 7; Cole 22; De los Santos 5; Coleman, C 6; Montero, R 6; Cruz, Y 4.

Inherited runners-scored: Cruz, Y 2-2.

Umpires: HP: John Bacon. 1B: Kellen Martin. 2B: Dereck Pacheco. 3B: Charlie Welling.

Weather: 75 degrees, Cloudy.

Wind: 12 mph, Varies.

First pitch: 6:06 PM.

T: 2:53.

Att: 7,814.

Venue: PNC Field.

May 16, 2026

Check out the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



International League Stories from May 16, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central