MOOSIC, PA (May 16, 2026) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders fell to the Syracuse Mets 6-2 Saturday night at PNC Field. Yankees ace Gerrit Cole pitched five strong innings in an MLB rehab appearance, allowing just one run while mixing his pitches effectively and touching nearly 100 MPH on his fastball.
Cole faced the minimum in the first two opening frames, striking out Mets #3 Prospect Ryan Clifford to end the first and using his slider, sinker, curve, and fastball to close the second clean.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre opened the offense in the home half of the frame against Mets starter Xzavion Curry. With two outs, Ernesto Martinez Jr. recorded the first hit of the game for the RailRiders before Ali Sánchez blasted his fifth homer of the season for a 2-0 edge.
Syracuse plated a run in the top of the third. With two out and two aboard, Ji Hwan Bae legged out an RBI single to pull within one. Cole came back to strike out Clifford for the second time to finish an inning, throwing his fastest pitch of the evening at 99.6 MPH in the at-bat
In the top of the fourth, Syracuse’s Eric Wagaman doubled and tried to score on a Yonny Hernández single, but left-fielder Jonathan Ornelas gunned Wagaman down to keep the game a one-run contest. Cole then fanned Jackson Cluff to end the frame.
Cole continued his night into the fifth, freezing Kevin Parada on a four-seam fastball, striking out Mets #11 Prospect Nick Morabito with a changeup, and retiring Clifford to close an inning for the third time to hold the lead. He recorded the first out of the sixth before being pulled for reliever Yerry De Los Santos.
The Mets leveled the game in the top of the eighth. After Bae walked, stole second, and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly, Christian Arroyo singled to tie the game at two.
In the ninth, Ernesto Martínez Jr. walked, and Kenedy Corona entered as a pinch runner, moving over to second on a groundout. With two outs, Mets #17 Prospect Dylan Ross struck out Duke Ellis to send the game to extras.
Syracuse took their first lead of the night in the top of the tenth when Morabito singled home Parada from second. After Clifford walked, the Mets pulled ahead two runs on an Arroyo RBI double. A wild pitch plated Clifford, and Wagaman singled home Arroyo for a 6-2 cushion.
Cole worked 5.1 innings, allowing one run on six hits, striking out six on 86 pitches, 56 for strikes. Curry threw 5.0 frames, giving up two runs on six hits. Rafael Montero (0-1) tossed 1.1 innings, allowing three runs on one hit in the loss. The victory went to Ross (2-0), who pitched two scoreless innings for the win.
The RailRiders conclude their series with Syracuse on “Sunday Family Fun Day”, presented by Geisinger & 28/22 Together with You. The RailRider’s #4 Prospect Carlos Lagrange (0-2) takes on Mets #5 Prospect Jack Wenninger (3-1). First pitch is slated for 1:35 PM. Tickets and promotional details are available at www.swbrailriders.com.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Record: 22-20