Franklin & House Combine for Seven Hits and Two RBI in Series Finale
IL Rochester Red Wings

Franklin & House Combine for Seven Hits and Two RBI in Series Finale

Published on June 7, 2026 under International League (IL)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


After dropping a pair of battles at Coca-Cola Park, the Rochester Red Wings (38-24) sought to get back on track in their series finale with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (29-34) on Sunday. In a matinee battle that went back-and-forth with a series of late-game barrages, the Red Wings escaped with a 7-6 win in 11 innings. RF Christian Franklin led the way offensively, as the slugger connected on a 385-foot leadoff homer and finished 3-for-6 at the plate with two runs and an RBI while finishing a triple shy of the cycle. 3B Brady House tallied two RBI; one of which gave the Red Wings the lead in the top of the third inning. DH Yohandy Morales went 2-for-3 and coupled the mark with his 40th RBI of the season, helping the team to secure a 4-2 series victory - their third over Lehigh Valley on the year. Following their final trip to Allentown, Pennsylvania, of the season, the Red Wings are now 14 games over .500 and remain in first place in the International League.

The Red Wings took little time to break in the bats, as Christian Franklin smashed a home run to center field on just the second pitch of the game. Yohandy Morales and 2B Seaver King then both tallied line drive singles, although the IronPigs were able to curb any further momentum from the visiting squad as they collected a ground out to conclude the opening half-inning.

The IronPigs flipped to offense and wasted no time themselves, as CF Dylan Carlson drove a line drive down the left side on the team's first at-bat of the game. After 3B Otto Kemp was hit by a pitch, 1B Keaton Anthony routed a double down left field to score Carlson and advance Kemp to third. The IronPigs then took an early 2-1 lead, as Kemp journeyed home after a sacrifice fly from RF Gabriel Rincones Jr. to close out the first inning.

Christian Franklin kept his bat hot to open the third inning, upgrading to 2-for-2 as he connected on a double down the left-field line. Yohandy Morales then got his first hit of the game with a single, sending Franklin home after he got a lead-off the bag to knot the score up at two runs apiece. With a runner in scoring position after 1B Abimelec Ortiz notched a single, Brady House earned one of his own with a single that sent Morales home. The IronPigs then used their second mound visit of the game after Rochester filled the bases with no outs, which resulted in a double play from the IronPigs yet an advancement to home base from Ortiz. After LF Robert Hassell III grounded out, the Red Wings departed from the top of the third with a 4-2 lead.

Following two innings full of defensive action, the IronPigs lessened the deficit to a single run in the bottom of the fourth after a grounder from Christian Cairo sent Gabriel Rincones Jr. jogging home. Rincones Jr. then showcased his defensive capabilities with an impressive diving catch in foul territory, which led to two more outs and a retirement of the Red Wings' side. With a scoreless top and bottom of the fifth inning, the Red Wings ended the first portion of Sunday's finale with a 4-3 lead.

Rochester extended its lead in the seventh inning with a series of events that began with a walk to Robert Hassell III. Shortly after, C Tres Barrera shot a line drive single to left field, sending Hassell III to third. Following the base hit, SS Trey Lipscomb smashed an RBI single to center field, allowing Hassell III to scamper home while Barrera reached third. After a rudimentary fastball thrown by the IronPigs, the Red Wings put on a double steal as Trey Lipscomb stole second, and in the process, Tres Barrera stole home with ease as Rochester went up 6-3 entering the bottom of the seventh.

After a scoreless eighth inning, Lehigh Valley came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth in search of a rally. Following a walk to 2B Robert Moore and a strikeout, Dylan Carlson delivered for the IronPigs with a two-run homer to cut the lead to 6-5. Lehigh Valley pushed their late scare further with a soft single sent by LF Felix Reyes, and after a wild pitch, Reyes reached second. With two outs, Keaton Anthony supplied the equalizing RBI single to right field, allowing Reyes to reach home, tying the game at six runs apiece. The Red Wings were able to avoid a walk-off ending from the opposition and entered the 10th inning with their offense up first.

Both sides were unable to cross the plate in the 10th inning, and Rochester took a 7-6 lead in the 11th after Brady House delivered an RBI double to right field, sending Abimelec Ortiz, who started on second to begin the inning, in to score.

In the ensuing half-inning, Lehigh Valley threatened with the possible winning run on first and second following a walk, but after a costly bunt-popout and two consecutive infield plays, RHP Seth Shuman and company were able to avoid the series split and escape with a 7-6 win in the finale.

LHP Carson Palmquist started his first game as a Red Wing this afternoon, after joining in late May. The former Albuquerque Isotope allowed two earned runs on two hits, and threw 22 strikes on 32 pitches thrown in 2.0 innings. RHP Jack Sinclair replaced Palmquist in the third inning. The Sunshine State-born righty allowed one run on two hits while throwing one strikeout in 2.0 innings of work. RHP Luke Young came in to pitch in the fifth inning, and put in 1.1 innings of work with one strikeout and one walk. RHP Zak Kent replaced Young in the sixth. The former Texas Ranger allowed two hits that did not lead to a run, and threw three strikeouts in 1.2 innings. Southpaw PJ Poulin followed for the bottom of the eighth. The former Colorado Rockie put in 1.0 inning of work and threw one strikeout. Poulin logged a strike on each of the five pitches he threw this afternoon. Eddy Yean looked to close the series for Rochester in the ninth. Yean, in 0.2 of an inning, allowed three runs on three hits and threw one strikeout. RHP Trevor Gott came in to relieve the late Lehigh Valley rally. The Kentucky native threw 1.1 innings of high-stakes work and allowed no runs or hits, while throwing 11 strikes in 21 pitches. Seth Shuman replaced Gott in the 11th, closing the series out for Rochester with 1.0 inning of work, allowing one walk en route to his second save of the season.

The Rochester Red Wings Player of the Game is RF Christian Franklin. The 26-year-old from Kansas began his big day on the second pitch of the afternoon, as Franklin crushed a 375-foot homer to give Rochester an early 1-0 advantage. In total, the former Chicago Cub logged two runs scored off of three hits, including the homer and a double that kicked off a three-run third inning for Rochester. Franklin now has four home runs and 18 RBI this season. It has been 316 days since Franklin has recorded a double and a home run in the same game, dating back to his time with the Iowa Cubs in a road game against the Louisville Bats on July 26, 2025.

Rochester will return to ESL Ballpark for its next series as the team welcomes the Worcester Red Sox into town, with the opening matchup set for Monday, June 9 at 6:45 p.m. The Red Wings are currently 8-3 against the Red Sox this season, with their most recent result coming in the form of a 7-5 victory on May 23 at Polar Park.

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International League Stories from June 7, 2026


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