Salt Potatoes Walk-Off Plates in Duel of the Dishes Game One
IL Rochester Red Wings

Salt Potatoes Walk-Off Plates in Duel of the Dishes Game One

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


Reaching the mid-way point of the six-game series in Syracuse, Thursday evening marked game one of the Duel of the Dishes, as the Rochester Plates (17-19) fell to the Syracuse Salt Potatoes on a walk-off RBI single from CF A.J. Ewing, with the final score being 3-2. Rochester struck first after RF Christian Franklin's homer in the third, which was the first of three hits from the former Iowa Cub.

The I-90 rivals traded a couple of scoreless and hitless innings until RF Christian Franklin blasted his first homer of the season in the top of the third, traveling 357 feet out of NBT Bank Stadium. On the very next pitch, C Harry Ford drove a line drive single to center field. The Plates' early scoring was put to a halt as both Ford and LF Dylan Crews were thrown out at second on consecutive pitches, ending the top of the third with Rochester up 1-0.

The Plates poised another threat in the top of the fourth with a line drive double to right field by CF Robert Hassell III, but following a strikeout right after, this opportunity was short lived. In the ensuing half-inning, the Salt Potatoes notched a double of their own by 1B Christian Arroyo. Arroyo ended up being the tying run after a double by 2B Ji Hwan Bae. The Plates were able to avoid further damage after a double play that stretched from 3B Andres Chaparro all the way to 1B Yohandy Morales to end the inning with the score still at 1-1.

After a scoreless fifth inning, Rochester threatened with bases loaded looking to regain the lead to begin the sixth. DH Andrew Pinckney popped a sacrifice fly to left field allowing Dylan Crews to tag up putting the Plates up 2-1. After 2B Phillip Glasser walked shortly after, the Plates once again were in position to blow open the game with bases loaded, but left the half-inning still up by a run.

The Salt Potatoes began their attempt to respond in the bottom half of the inning after RF Nick Morabito found fair ground on a base hit to center field, then was able to steal second shortly after. Christian Arroyo continued his busy evening with an equalizing RBI single, sending Morabito home.

Rochester went scoreless in the ninth with the score still at 2-2, and Syracuse had the final chance to end the game in nine innings before extra baseball. The Salt Potatoes managed to get men on second and third after a wild pitch, and A.J. Ewing smashed a base hit to left field, sending pinch-runner Kevin Villavicencio home to end the game at 3-2.

For the sixth time this season, RHP Andry Lara started at the mound for Rochester. The second consecutive Venezuelan native to start for Rochester put in 5.2 innings of work, allowing only one run up until his final pitch, the RBI single tying the game at 2-2. Lara recorded seven strikeouts on 22 batters faced while allowing four hits. RHP Jack Sinclair replaced Lara in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sinclair, the Florida native, pitched 0.2 of an inning, allowing one hit with a walk. RHP Julian Fernández entered next, but exited after just four pitches. RHP Trevor Gott replaced Fernandez and turned in 1.1 hitless frames with a pair of strikeouts. LHP Zach Penrod was responsible for the ninth and allowed one run on one hit while striking out and walking one.

The Rochester Red Wings Player of the Game is RF Christian Franklin. The Kansas native launched his first homer of the season and notched his second three-hit game, going 3-for-4 with a solo shot, two singles, a walk, and a stolen base. Across six Thursday games this season, Franklin is hitting .478 (11-for-23) with a 1.190 OPS.

Rochester and Syracuse will don their standard Red Wings and Mets uniforms for game four of their six-game set Friday night. Rochester will look to even the series at two games apiece, with the first pitch set for 6:35 p.m.

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International League Stories from May 7, 2026


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