Travis Blankenhorn records 2 RBI as Rochester wins its 5th straight.
By Caktus AI / Rochester Red Wings
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Red Wings nabbed a 4-3 win over the Syracuse Mets to extend their winning streak to five games, thanks to two RBI from LF Travis Blankenhorn. Rochester has now won eight of their last nine games, the first time they’ve done so since May of 2022, and has a season-long five-game winning streak.
Syracuse struck first Thursday night, scoring first for the second time this series when C Michael Perez hit a home run in the top of the third inning. The long ball broke a streak of six straight games for the Wings not allowing a home run. One inning later, a walk from RF Nomar Mazara and a single from DH Luis Torrens set up LF Travis Blankenhorn, and on a 1-0 pitch, he blooped a single into center field and scored Mazara. The knock tied the game at 1-1 and also extended Blankenhorn’s on-base streak to 19 games (.288, 23-for-80 since 5/4).
SS Richie Martin led off the bottom of the fifth inning, and worked a full count against RHP Denyi Reyes. On the sixth pitch of the at bat, Martin rocked a 102.1 MPH home run into the Mets bullpen in left field, giving the Wings a 2-1 advantage. The knock was Martin’s first home run since 9/13/22 while he was with Norfolk against Charlotte. Syracuse responded in kind in the top of the sixth inning when SS Luis Guillorme hit a home run off a 2-0 pitch from RHP Hobie Harris, evening the score once again.
The Mets and Red Wings sat deadlocked in a 2-2 tie until a walk in the bottom of the seventh inning from Martin and a single from CF Derek Hill brought 2B Jake Alu to the plate. Alu grounded to the pitcher, inducing a fielder’s choice that allowed Martin to score and give the Wings a 3-2 lead. Blankenhorn drove in an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning on an RBI single that scored PR Cody Wilson, extending Rochester’s lead to 4-2. Syracuse added one run in the bottom of the ninth, but couldn’t outduel the hosts, as Rochester picked up the win, 4-3.
RHP Cory Abbott started Thursday night for Rochester and logged his second consecutive five-inning start. The righty allowed just one hit while striking out six batters and walking five in his start. Hobie Harris entered first out of the bullpen for the Wings, allowing one earned run while striking out two batters in his inning of work. RHP Jose Mujica (2-0, 5.19) earned the win for the Wings, and RHP Gerson Moreno worked a scoreless inning in relief, striking out a combined three batters, while walking two. RHP Jordan Weems shut the door on Syracuse, allowing one run while earning his sixth save of the season.
Blankenhorn is Thursday’s Diamond Pro Player of the Game for the Plates. He drove in Rochester’s first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning and provided an insurance run with another RBI single in the bottom of the eighth. Blankenhorn went 2-for-4 against his former squad and extended his on-base streak to 19 games, dating back to 5/4.
Rochester will go for the series win in an effort to extend their longest winning streak of the season Friday night against the Mets. RHP Wily Peralta is set to make his 10th start of the season for the Red Wings, while RHP Jose Butto goes for Syracuse. First pitch is set for 6:45 p.m.