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Game Recap and Highlights: Syracuse falls victim to excellent Lehigh Valley offense in 9-5 loss on Saturday night

Patrick Mazeika swings and launches a home run over the right-field wall on Saturday night for Syracuse (Herm Card - herm4444@gmail.com).

Syracuse, NY – The Syracuse Mets ran into a humming Lehigh Valley offensive machine on Saturday night as the IronPigs scored early and often on their way to 18 hits and a 9-5 win over the Mets on a sunny night at NBT Bank Stadium (Box Score). Despite the consecutive losses the last two games, Syracuse still has the chance to take the six-game series. The Mets won the first three games of the series from Tuesday through Thursday.   

  

After two scoreless innings to start the game, the action ramped up in the third inning. Each team scored twice to make it a 2-2 game after three frames. In the top half of the inning, Lehigh Valley plated two runs via four hits, including an RBI double from Dalton Guthrie. The outfielder has three two-baggers so far in the series.  

  

In the bottom of the third inning, the Mets bounced right back. Luke Ritter and Quinn Brodey both singled to start the frame, followed by a pitch that plunked Kramer Robertson to load up the bases with nobody out. Lehigh Valley managed to limit the damage, inducing an RBI groundout from Nick Plummer and a sacrifice fly from Mark Vientos. Still, Syracuse had managed to tie the game, 2-2, with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the third inning.  

  

The game would not remain tied for long. The IronPigs raced back in front with two runs in the top of the fourth as a familiar foe did damage once again against the Mets. Jorge Bonifacio lined a go-ahead, two-run home run over the left-field fence to make it 4-2 in favor of Lehigh Valley. In the last two games, Bonifacio has gone 6-for-8 at the plate with two home runs, two doubles, and three runs driven in. 

  

The fifth inning would prove to be the fateful one in the ballgame. The IronPigs took a tight, 4-2 contest and blew it open, plating five runs on five hits to make it 9-2 Lehigh Valley and essentially put the game out of reach. Two errors by Syracuse certainly did not help the cause in the fifth inning. Rafael Marchan chipped in an RBI double, and Ali Castillo followed with a two-run double to cap off the inning and give Lehigh Valley the 9-2 edge.  

 

Five different IronPigs scored in the fifth inning, mirroring their balanced attack on Saturday night. All nine of their starters had at least one hit with six different players racking up at least two hits. Eight different players also scored runs. By the end of the evening, Lehigh Valley had accumulated a grand total of 18 hits, which is the most given up by Syracuse to an opponent this season. 

  

To the Mets' credit, their bullpen settled the situation down in the later innings. Trey Cobb, Yennsy Díaz, and Alex Claudio tossed the final four innings of the game in scoreless fashion with just four hits allowed. Díaz was particularly excellent, tossing two scoreless innings with only two baserunners reaching via a walk and a hit. 

  

Syracuse scored its final three runs of the game via the long ball. Patrick Mazeika lined a solo shot over the right-field wall in the sixth to make it 9-3 followed by a Johneshwy Fargas two-run shot over the left-field wall in the eighth to cut the deficit to four, 9-5. The Mets have hit seven home runs in the first five games of this week's series.  

  

However, the night for the Mets was marred by missed opportunities. Syracuse left seven runners on base in the game, five of which were in scoring position. The Mets went just 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position in their 9-5 loss on Saturday night.  

  

Syracuse wraps up its six-game series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs at NBT Bank Stadium on Sunday night. The Mets are scheduled to start left-hander Nate Fisher, opposed by right-hander Christopher Sanchez for the IronPigs. First pitch is slated for 6:05 p.m. 




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