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| Danny Mendick collected four hits, including a home run, and three RBIs on Wednesday night for Syracuse. (Rick Nelson) |
Syracuse Mets Press Release: Moosic, PA – The Syracuse Mets offense showed up early and often on Wednesday night, scoring in each of the game’s first four innings on their way to a 9-4 win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Triple-A New York Yankees) on a mid-April night outside of the Electric City. The Mets have now won seven of their first 11 games this season, scoring 68 total runs in the process.
The scoring fun for Syracuse (7-4) started with the literal first batter on Wednesday night, as Danny Mendick launched an opposite-field, solo home run over the right-field fence leading off the game for a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the first, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (6-5) took its lone lead of the night when Elijah Dunham lined a go-ahead, two-run home run over the right-field wall to push the RailRiders to a 2-1 lead. Dunham, a former Indiana Hoosier, has had an excellent start to the series, with four combined hits and two more walks in the first two games.
The lead for the RailRiders would not last. The Mets tied it right back up in the top of the second with some late damage. With nobody on base and two outs, Khalil Lee extended the inning when he was hit by a pitch. A poor pickoff throw to first base promptly advanced Lee to second base, followed by a wild pitch that moved Lee up another 90 feet to third base. Jonathan Araúz was at the plate and took advantage of the opportunity, smacking a double to the center-field wall that scored Lee and tied the game at two in a flash.
In the top of the third, the Mets took the lead for good with two runs that once again came with two outs. Mark Vientos singled to keep the inning alive, and then things began to get interesting. DJ Stewart, the next batter, chopped a groundball to second base that seemingly would end the inning. However, Jamie Westbrook committed a throwing error for the RailRiders, extending the frame. Jaylin Davis walked to load up the bases, setting the stage for Ronny Mauricio. The 22-year-old continued to haunt opposing pitchers, lining a sharp single into left-center field that scored Vientos and Stewart and made it a 4-2 lead for the Mets. Mauricio, since celebrating his birthday last Tuesday, has hit .384 at the plate with four home runs, eight runs driven in, and six runs scored.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre briefly battled back via a solo home run from Andrés Chapparo that made it a 4-3 game entering the fourth inning, but that would be as close as the home team would get.
Syracuse put the game away with four fateful runs in the top of the fourth, sending nine to the plate in process. Four runs plus two errors from the RailRiders allowed the runs to cross home plate, highlighted by a mammoth three-run blast from Mark Vientos that capped the scoring in the inning for an 8-3 Mets advantage. Vientos has homered on back-to-back nights and now has crushed four home runs on the young season.
While the Mets’ offense was rolling, their pitching was settling into the evening. Tony Dibrell battled his way through a four-inning start, allowing three runs on three hits with five strikeouts. The right-hander did have command issues on Wednesday night, issuing five walks as he threw just 36 strikes among 70 total pitches. However, Dibrell finished with a flourish, retiring the final six batters he faced in order with three strikeouts.
From there, the Syracuse bullpen got the job done. Edwin Uceta, Zach Muckenhirn, Grant Hartwig combined to allow just one unearned run in the game’s final five innings, holding the RailRiders to just four hits. Muckenhirn continued his brilliant pitching to start the 2023 season, tossing three scoreless innings with just one hit allowed. The 28-year-old left-hander has tossed six and two-thirds scoreless frames to start the season, allowing just four hits in the process.
Syracuse scored its ninth and final run of the night in the top of the ninth when Mendick chopped a single into right field that plated Khalil Lee. Mendick finished Wednesday night’s game with four hits. So far this season, the former Chicago White Sox is batting a cool .350 at the plate with eight runs driven in.
Syracuse is on the road this entire week, playing six games from Tuesday through Sunday at the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Game three in the week-long series is set for 6:35 p.m. on Thursday night. Left-hander Joey Lucchesi is slated to start for the Mets, opposed by right-hander Ryan Weber for the RailRiders.
Ronny Mauricio. A one-man wrecking crew. pic.twitter.com/dhYOOBcuuT
— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) April 13, 2023
Mark Vientos goes deep with his 4th HR of the year, a 3 run shot well over the 408 wall in CF. Syracuse leads 8-3, top of the 4th. #Mets #LGM #MetsTwitter @ernestdove @MiLBMetsMadness @TimothyRRyder pic.twitter.com/RQ7J4iuvtJ
— Mets News and Links (@JohnFromAlbany) April 13, 2023
Danny Mendick appreciation post 👏 👏
— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) April 13, 2023
Another RBI single. A four-hit night. And a .350 batting average so far this season! pic.twitter.com/yypXaesGfp
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