darry, my speculation is that the aircraft diverted to be able to take advantage of an extra 1,000 feet of runway. The longest runway at ROC is 8,000, whereas SYR's main runway is 9,000. Without flaps I believe that operating procedures require the aircraft's approach speed to be faster and therefore demands a longer runway. The transport pilots who are active here will hopefully confirm or correct this info.
SYR receives a fair share of diversions, including heavies, from the big three NY airports when weather down there closes the airports for arrivals.
Just to the east of SYR, though, is an old B-52 base (KRME) that is now a class D, part-time towered airport with a runway of almost 12,000 feet long. When I was working on my private pilot I would solo over to this airport (it was a class E, non-towered airport back in the early part of this decade) and practice engine-outs on takeoff. I could do 3 or 4 takeoffs/engine failures in a Cessna 172 and still have room left on the runway.
The reason transport aircraft don't divert here, I think, is that there is not a full-time air/rescue unit on the field.