Homer Happy Red Wings Soar over Syracuse in Series Opener

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IL Rochester Red Wings

Homer Happy Red Wings Soar over Syracuse in Series Opener

August 14, 2024 - International League (IL)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


In the series-opener of their final six-game set against Syracuse in 2024, Rochester slugged their way to an 8-1 win. CF Dylan Crews, C Drew Millas, and 1B Joey Meneses each launched two-run shots, and DH Brady House joined the fray with a solo shot of his own. Four Red Wings relievers were used to hold the Mets to just one earned run on two hits behind a strong 4.2 scoreless innings from starting pitcher RHP Jackson Rutledge.

Neither Rochester nor Syracuse scored in the first inning, before Brady House kicked things off in the bottom of the second. The right-hander turned on a 1-2 sweeper and deposited it 405 feet away over the triangle in left-center field for a solo home run to give Rochester a 1-0 lead. This marked his third Triple-A home run and set things up for Joey Meneses who roped a single into right field to keep the pressure on. The following at-bat LF Jake Alu smacked a double down the right field line and into the corner, but an excellent Syracuse relay nabbed Meneses at home to keep the score at 1-0. Alu moved up to third on the play, and 3B Trey Lipscomb came through and connected on a line drive single through the left side, increasing the Red Wings lead to 2-0.

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Syracuse 2B Luisangel Acuña led off the top of the third with a single through the right side. Rehabbing RF Starling Marte followed suit with a single of his own, and 3B Brett Baty was hit by a pitch to load the bases with still no outs. Red Wings starting pitcher Jackson Rutledge induced a pair of strikeouts and a pop out to keep the Mets off the board heading into the bottom of the third.

2B Darren Baker kicked things off in the home half of the third with an infield single and took second base with his 36th stolen bag of the season. Drew Millas then stepped to the plate and launched a towering fly ball to right field that smacked off the top of the pavilion 429 feet away from home plate. The homer is tied for Millas' longest of the season and gave Rochester a 4-0 lead. Brady House followed the homer with his second extra-base hit of the day, this time a double into the right-center field gap. Immediately following the double, Joey Meneses launched the teams' second two-run homer of the inning into the visitor's bullpen in left field. The 373-foot shot gave the Red Wings a comfortable 6-0 lead after three innings of play.

Following a scoreless fourth and fifth, C Austin Allen put Syracuse on the board with a solo home run to right field. This long ball was his sixth of the season, and third against Rochester. Rochester was able to escape with no further damage and take a 6-1 lead into the home half of the sixth.

With one out in the following half-inning, SS Jack Dunn smoked a base hit up the middle for his second hit of the game. CF Dylan Crews then launched his seventh Triple-A home run 428 field into the night sky, the Red Wings third two-run shot of the game. When the ball landed just in front of the scoreboard in left-center field Rochester took a seven-run lead, 8-1.

Syracuse came to bat in the ninth facing a sizable deficit. Despite a leadoff single from Austin Allen, Rochester was able to induce a pop out and a pair of ground outs to solidify a series-opening win.

Missouri native Jackson Rutledge made his 21st start of the season in the series opener Tuesday night. In a career-high 112 pitches, the right-hander escaped two bases-loaded jams and logged 4.2 scoreless innings on five hits, while striking out six and walking four. LHP Joe La Sorsa came in to finish the fifth and allowed two earned on two hits with a walk and a strikeout in 1.1 innings of work. RHP Zach Brzykcy, making his first appearance with the Red Wings since 2022, took over in the seventh. The Virginia Tech product tossed 1.0 clean inning with a pair of strikeouts in his season debut. With a seven-run lead in the eighth, LHP Tim Cate took over and retired all three batters he faced in order. RHP Carlos Romero closed the door in the ninth and allowed no runs on one hit.

Tuesday night's Diamond Pro Player of the Game goes to DH Brady House. The highly touted Nationals prospect finished 2-for-4 with his third Triple-A home run, a double, an RBI and two runs scored. In four games against Syracuse this season, House has connected on four extra-base hits (2 HR, 2 2B) and has gone 5-for-16 (.313).

Rochester looks to make it three consecutive wins in the second game of their series against Syracuse. RHP Thaddeus Ward will take the mound for Rochester against Syracuse RHP Brandon Sproat. The first pitch of the Wednesday matinee is set for 1:05 p.m.

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