Syracuse Mets Game Recap: S-Mets dominate Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, 8-2, on Saturday night

Donovan Walton launches a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning on Saturday night for Syracuse (Herm Card).

Box Score: Donovan Walton  SS 1 for 5; HR; 1 run; 1 RBI; 2 Ks; Drew Gilbert*  CF 1 for 2; HR; 2 runs; 1 RBI; 3 walks; 1 K; Jon Singleton  DH 0 for 3; 1 run; 2 walks; 2 Ks; Jared Young  3B 0 for 3; 1 run; 2 walks; 1 K; Joey Meneses  1B 1 for 4; 1 run; 1 RBI; Rafael Ortega*  RF 1 for 1; HR; 1 run; 3 RBIs; Billy McKinney  LF 0 for 2; 1 walk; Gilberto Celestino  RF 2 for 4; 1 K; Luke Ritter  2B 1 for 3; double; 1 run; 1 walk; 1 K; Jakson Reetz  C 1 for 3; 1 walk; TJ Shook   3 innings; no runs; 1 hit; 1 walk; 4 Ks; Cameron Foster  (W, 1-0) 3 innings; 1 run; 1 ER; 3 hits; 1 walk; 3 Ks; Luis Moreno   2 innings; 1 run; 1 ER; 3 hits; 2 walks; Grant Hartwig   1 inning; no runs; 1 walk; 1 K; 

By Michael Tricarico, Syracuse Mets Broadcaster

Syracuse, NY – With two more fantastic Triple-A pitching debuts and a trio of long balls, the Syracuse Mets beat the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, 8-2, on Saturday night at NBT Bank Stadium.

Syracuse (15-17) set the tone early with a high-scoring bottom of the first inning. Leadoff man Donovan Walton started the frame with a solo home run that put the Mets in front 1-0. After Walton, Drew Gilbert, Jon Singleton, and Jared Young all walked to load the bases. Joey Meneses grounded out but scored Gilbert and made it 2-0 Syracuse. With two runners on and just one out, Rafael Ortega smacked a three-run homer to thrust the Mets ahead, 5-0. Later in the inning, a Jakson Reetz single with a throwing error by third baseman Jose Rojas scored Luke Ritter and gave Syracuse a 6-0 advantage. 

The Mets held Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (15-16) scoreless through three innings thanks to a great start from recent Double-A call-up T.J. Shook, making his Triple-A debut. Shook tossed three shutout frames, allowed just one hit, and struck out four. After Shook, Cameron Foster, another Binghamton promotion, pitched three innings and only gave up one run in the fourth inning to make it 6-1.

Meanwhile, the Syracuse offense continued to add insurance. In the bottom of the sixth, Gilbert hit his first Triple-A home run of 2025 and gave the Mets a 7-1 lead. GIlbert has now reached base in 11 consecutive games and finished Saturday's game with three walks in addition to his homer.

In the seventh, Syracuse conceded a run on a Dominic Smith homer that made it 7-2, but the Mets got that run right back in the bottom half. After a Meneses single and a throwing error by second baseman Jake Gatewood, Gilberto Celestino scored to extend the Mets lead to 8-2. 

With a six-run lead in the ninth, Grant Hartwig tossed a scoreless inning and secured the victory.

Syracuse ends its six-game series against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Sunday afternoon with game six. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.

Donovan Walton leads us off with a bang! pic.twitter.com/7YcjWyezm8

— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) May 3, 2025

Rafael Ortega demolished that baseball! pic.twitter.com/hmsPpA0U3r

— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) May 3, 2025

"Drew Gilbert leaves the yard!" pic.twitter.com/6f6T8huy5n

— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) May 4, 2025