Red Wings Stave off RailRiders, Win Home Opener
IL Rochester Red Wings

Red Wings Stave off RailRiders, Win Home Opener

Published on April 1, 2026 under International League (IL)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


The first ever game at ESL Ballpark, and coldest home opener since 2018, the Rochester Red Wings (3-1) picked up a 5-4 victory over the Scranton/WB Railriders (2-2). 2B-SS Trey Lipscomb paced the offense with a homer and a double, and DH Christian Franklin notched two hits of his own to give him at least one knock in each of the first four games. On the mound, RHP Orlando Ribalta picked up the save with a scoreless ninth, his first since May 21, 2024 with Double-A Harrisburg.

Scranton/WB wasted no time getting on the board in their first time at-bat. On the third pitch of the game, LF Jasson Dominguez turned on a 1-1 slider and crushed it into the Red Wings bullpen in right field for a solo home run. Following a strikeout, 1B Oswaldo Cabrera tripled on a sharp line drive into the right-center field gap. A batter later, 2B Max Scheuemann connected on a sacrifice fly that scored Cabrera, extending the RailRiders lead to 2-0.

Leading off the bottom half of the inning, Christian Franklin singled on a ground ball, stole second and advanced to third on a wild throw. CF Dylan Crews then skied a fly ball into center field, deep enough for Franklin to tag up and score, cutting the RailRiders lead to 2-1.

The score remained the same until the bottom of the fifth. Trey Lipscomb smashed a 1-1 pitch to the left of the visiting bullpen and over the wall to tie the score at two, and 3B Yohandy Morales smashed a sinker to nearly the exact same spot to give the Wings the lead 3-2. This is the first time the Red Wings have hit back-to-back homers in their home opener since at least 2004. Following a groundout, Christian Franklin reached base for the third time on a fielding error. After a pitching change, C Harry Ford hit an RBI double to score Franklin, stretching their lead to 4-2.

With one out in the following half-inning, RF Yanquiel Fernandez singled on a sharp line drive to right field. After a strikeout, DH Ernesto Martinez Jr. singled to the same spot, pushing Fernandez to second. C Payton Henry then hit a third single of the inning, this time to center field, giving Fernandez time to score from second, cutting the Red Wings lead to 4-3.

In the top of the eighth, Yanquiel Fernandez roped a changeup pitch for a single. PR Duke Ellis came into the game for Fernandez at first, and promptly stole second to put himself in scoring position. A walk to 3B Paul DeJong put runners on first and second, and Ellis moved to third on a fly ball by Payton Henry. SS Braden Shewmake singled on a line drive to center field, driving in the tying run for the RailRiders, 4-4.

After a groundout to start the next half-inning, LF Andrew Pinckney connected on a sinker, grounding it to the right side of the infield before beating the throw for a single. Pinckney then stole second to move into scoring position. During the next at-bat, Trey Lipscomb scorched a 1-0 pitch to left center field, resulting in an RBI double to recover the Wings' lead 5-4.

Rochester would hold the lead through the final half-inning, setting the RailRiders down in order to preserve a 5-4 victory. This is the first time the Wings have won back-to-back home openers since the 2015 & 2016 seasons.

RHP Riley Cornelio took the ball first for Rochester, in what was his first start of 2026. The Hawaii native turned in 4.1 innings of work, allowing two earned on two hits, while striking out seven and walking three. RHP Jackson Rutledge came on and recorded the final two outs of the fifth, walking one before handing the ball to rehabbing RHP Paxton Schultz. The right-hander covered 1.0 inning, allowing one earned on three hits with a strikeout. RHP Julian Fernández came next, tossing a hitless frame with a pair of strikeouts and a walk. RHP Jack Sinclair got the first two outs of the eighth, allowing one earned on two hits with a walk and a strikeout. RHP Eddy Yean recorded the final out of the inning on three pitches. Coming on for the ninth, Orlando Ribalta picked up the save after striking a pair of batters and inducing a flyout to end the game.

SS-2B Trey Lipscomb was awarded Red Wings Player of the Game for his performance in the 2026 home opener, ending the game 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, two RBI, and a run scored. This is the first time he has homered and doubled in the same game since July 20, 2025.

The Red Wings will continue their homestand against Scranton/WB on Thursday, in search of their second consecutive win and fourth in their first five games. LHP Andrew Alvarez will get the start for the Red Wings, his second of the season. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

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International League Stories from April 1, 2026


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