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| Gosuke Katoh had two hits, including a three-run home run on Saturday night for Syracuse (Rick Nelson). |
Worcester, MA – The Syracuse Mets came from behind but then fell short in extra innings in a 7-5 loss to the Worcester Red Sox in 11 innings on Saturday afternoon turned night. Despite the loss, Syracuse has still won three of the first five games in this six-game series against Worcester. Plus, the Mets are 15-11 against the Red Sox this season.
Syracuse (62-84) trailed, 4-1, entering the top of the sixth inning. With one out, Jake Mangum swung and missed at strike three, but the pitch was wild, and Mangum sprinted to first base safely. Francisco Álvarez then walked, but Dominic Smith struck out for the second out of the frame. That brought Gosuke Katoh to the plate, and Katoh launched a no-doubt home run over the right-field wall for a game-tying, three-run homer, knotting the game up, 4-4.
Neither team scored the rest of regulation, so the game entered extra innings.
In the top of the tenth, the Mets began with JT Riddle as the free runner at second base. Back-to-back strikeouts saw Syracuse in danger of going scoreless in the frame, but Mangum lined a double to right-center field, scoring Riddle to give the Mets a 5-4 lead.
Worcester (73-72) followed with Izzy Wilson pinch running as the free runner at second base in the bottom of the tenth. Johan Mieses immediately brought Wilson home with a single to left field, tying the game, 5-5. The Mets retired the next three batters, though, sending the game to the 11th.
In the top of the 11th, Smith began at second base. Katoh led off with a single, placing runners at first and third base with no outs. Carlos Rincon followed with a line drive right back to the mound that was caught by Red Sox reliever Chase Shugart, and a throw to first base doubled off Katoh for a double play. Khalil Lee followed with a strikeout that ended the frame without a Syracuse run.
In the bottom of the 11th, Worcester wasted no time ending the game. Jaylin Davis started the frame at second base, and Deivy Grullon launched the first pitch he saw over the wall in right-center field for a walk-off, two-run home run that gave the Red Sox a 7-5 win.
Despite the loss, Syracuse's bullpen was still magnificent. Josh Walker, Michel Otañez, Stephen Nogosek, and Eric Orze combined to throw six and one-third innings without allowing an earned run while striking out 11 batters and only walking two. Sam Clay allowed the two-run homer in the 11th, but only one of the runs is earned. That is the only earned run that Syracuse's bullpen has allowed in five games this series against Worcester. Over the last eight games, Mets relievers have allowed only seven earned runs in 38 and one-third innings for a 1.64 ERA.
Syracuse started the game's scoring in the third with a two-out run. Deven Marrero collected a two-out single and stole second base. Travis Jankowski followed with a single to center field, scoring Marrero to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. All five Syracuse runs scored with two outs.
Worcester took its first lead in the fourth. Mieses led off with a double and moved to third on a Ryan Fitzgerald groundout to second base. Pedro Castellanos followed with a single that scored Mieses to tie the game, 1-1. Davis doubled, putting runners at second and third base for Grullon who collected his first two RBIs of the night with a double to right-center field, scoring Castellanos and Davis to give the Red Sox a 3-1 advantage. Grullon finished the night 2-for-5 with a home run, a double, and four RBIs. Two batters later, with two outs, Nick Sogard doubled home Grullon to extend Worcester's lead to three, 4-1, before Syracuse's comeback and then extra innings.
Syracuse and Worcester conclude their six-game series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. at Polar Park.
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