Red Wings Use Long Ball, Take Down Mets in Saturday Matinée
IL Rochester Red Wings

Red Wings Use Long Ball, Take Down Mets in Saturday Matinée

Published on May 9, 2026 under International League (IL)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


Playing in Minor League Baseball's earliest game on Saturday afternoon, the Rochester Red Wings (19-19) took down the Syracuse Mets (20-17) by a score of 7-4. The Red Wings used three home runs to propel themselves offensively, one each off the bat of 3B Yohandy Morales, SS Trey Lipscomb, and C Harry Ford. RHP Chandler Champlain lowered his ERA as a starter this season to 2.46 (7 ER/25.2 IP), tossing 6.0 solid innings to earn the win on the mound.

On the first pitch of the game, DH Christian Franklin smoked a double the other way down the right field line to get things started for the Red Wings. After a walk to Harry Ford, CF Dylan Crews came to the plate and smoked a ground ball up the middle. The throw came in late to third, and Crews coasted into second base as Franklin crossed the plate for an RBI double to give Rochester an early 1-0 lead.

The score remained 1-0 as Rochester came to bat for a third time after a scoreless second. Dylan Crews drew a one-out walk, which brought Yohandy Morales to the plate. On a 1-2 pitch, the Miami product jumped on a sinker and drove it 352 feet to right field and over the wall for a two-run homer. His team-leading sixth homer of the season pushed the Red Wings lead to 3-0 after two-and-a-half innings of play.

In the fifth inning, the Mets got on the board and trimmed the Rochester lead. After the first two batters were retired, CF Cristian Pache was hit by a pitch to extend the frame. 3B Yonny Hernández followed and drove a ball into the right-center field gap, bringing Pache all the way around from first to score as Hernández slid into second with an RBI double. The Red Wings were able to limit the damage there, inducing a groundout to end the inning with Rochester still in front, 3-1.

The Mets continued to chip away in the sixth inning. Former Red Wing SS Jackson Cluff led things off by turning on a 1-0 pitch and sending it out to right field for a solo home run, cutting the Red Wings lead to 3-2. Rochester was able to regroup from there and retire the next three batters in order to keep the lead intact.

Using the long ball, Rochester answered right back in the seventh inning. Trey Lipscomb jumped on the first pitch he saw and sent it out to right field for a solo home run, his fifth of the season and second in as many days. After two quick outs, Harry Ford stepped in and connected on a 2-0 pitch, driving it out to left-center for another solo shot. His first homer as a Red Wing pushed the lead to 5-2 heading into the late innings.

Syracuse responded in the bottom half of the inning to pull back within two. After the first two batters were retired, Cristian Pache sparked the inning with a double down the left-field line. Yonny Hernández followed with a base hit up the middle, bringing Pache around to score and cut the Red Wings lead to 5-3. Rochester was able to limit the damage there and keep the advantage heading into the eighth.

In the ninth inning, LF Andrew Pinckney led off with a single through the left side and quickly moved into scoring position with a stolen base. After Trey Lipscomb drew a walk, 2B Phillip Glasser laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners. With two in scoring position, Christian Franklin reached safely on a ground ball to short as the throw home sailed wide, allowing both Pinckney and Lipscomb to score and extend the Red Wings lead to 7-3.

Needing to string multiple baserunners together to extend or win the game in the bottom of the ninth, 1B Christian Arroyo launched a solo homer to cut the Red Wings lead to 7-4. The threat ended there, as a ground out and a strikeout solidified a three-run Rochester victory.

Chandler Champlain made the start on the mound for the Red Wings Saturday afternoon, and turned in his second-straight quality start. The California native logged 6.0 full innings and allowed two earned on three hits, while striking out three and walking none. RHP Jack Sinclair came first out of the bullpen, and allowed one earned on two hits with two strikeouts across 1.0 inning of work. RHP Andre Granillo took over in the eighth, and turned in a hitless frame with a strikeout before handing the ball to RHP Trevor Gott. The Kentucky product allowed a solo homer while striking out two to finish the ballgame.

RHP Chandler Champlain is the Rochester Red Wings Player of the Game Saturday afternoon. The former Omaha Storm Chaser has now earned a victory in three consecutive starts for the first time since 2023. Over his last four starts since April 22, Champlain is 3-0 with a 1.66 ERA (4 ER/21.2 IP) with 16 strikeouts and four walks.

Rochester looks to win their third series of the season in the finale Sunday afternoon at NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse. The Red Wings will send RHP Riley Cornelio to the mound for his sixth Triple-A start of the season. The first pitch is slated for 1:05 p.m.

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International League Stories from May 9, 2026


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