The Rochester Red Wings were three outs away from seeing their season end before a two-run eighth inning changed everything.
Rochester rallied past the Memphis Redbirds 3-2 Thursday night in the decisive third game of the International League Championship Series, capturing its first International League championship since 1997.
With the best-of-three series tied at one game apiece, the Red Wings took an early lead when Riley Adams delivered an RBI single in the first inning. Memphis answered in the fifth, when Zach Levenson launched a solo home run to tie the game.
The Redbirds then moved in front in the seventh inning, leaving Rochester with one final opportunity to keep its season alive.
The Red Wings took advantage.
Andrew Pinckney tied the game with an RBI double in the eighth inning, and Cortland Lawson followed with a single up the middle that scored Pinckney and put Rochester ahead 3-2.
Rochester protected the lead in the bottom of the ninth, shutting down Memphis to secure the championship and complete a comeback after dropping Game 2 by a score of 15-4.
Rochester now advances to the Triple-A National Championship Game in Las Vegas, where it will face either Las Vegas or Oklahoma City on Saturday night.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.