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| Jonathan Araúz connects on a ball that he hit ober the right-field wall for a home run on Thursday night (Herm Card - herm4444@gmail.com). |
Syracuse, NY – The Syracuse Mets battled back but then fell short in ten innings on Thursday night, losing to the Louisville Bats (Triple-A Cincinnati Reds) by a 7-5 final on a sunny evening at NBT Bank Stadium. The Bats have now won each of the first three games in the six-game series (Box Score).
Early on, the game was
dominated by strong pitching, as neither team scored in the first four innings.
The scoring seal was finally broken in the bottom of the fifth, when Syracuse
(19-29) scratched across a run to take a 1-0 lead. Lorenzo Cedrola walked to
start the inning and promptly swiped second base, but he was still stuck at
second base with two outs as Luis Guillorme strode to the plate. Guillorme got
the job done, plopping a shallow single into left field that plated Cedrola and
gave the Mets an early 1-0 lead.
The lead wouldn’t last.
Louisville (24-23) scored three times in the top of the sixth to take a 3-1
lead into the bottom of the sixth. Joey Lucchesi tossed five scoreless innings
to start the game, but the sixth would prove to be a problem. First, Nick
Martini walked and Elly De La Cruz hit a two-run homer to propel the Bats in
front, 2-1, ending Lucchesi’s 21 and two-thirds consecutive scoreless innings
streak in Triple-A in the process.
Louisville wasn’t done scoring
in the frame, taking advantage of Syracuse miscues to plate another run. First,
the bases loaded up with one out when Matt Reynolds reached on an error, TJ
Hopkins singled, and Michael Siani walked. Then, Chuckie Robinson rolled a
groundball to second base that seemed destined to be an inning-ending double
play. However, Ronny Mauricio misplayed the ball, allowing Reynolds to score
and keeping the bases loaded with one out in now a 3-1 game. The next two
batters were retired in order, limiting the damage to three runs in the frame.
Syracuse slimmed the deficit to
just one run in the bottom of the sixth when Jonathan Araúz hit a solo home
run. He’s had a solid week so far at the plate, homering three times combined
in the first three games of the series. Araúz added a walk in the game to reach
base two total times.
In the bottom of the eighth,
the Mets tied the game aided by some help from Mother Nature. A one-out single
from Mauricio put a runner on base, bringing DJ Stewart to the plate. The
former Florida State Seminole lofted a lazy fly high in the air to left field,
but Martini lost the ball amidst the lights and the setting sun, allowing the
ball to fall harmlessly to the grass and Mauricio to score all the way from
first to tie the game, 3-3.
It remained a tie game into the
top of the tenth, when the Bats scored twice to finish off the night’s scoring.
It looked like Syracuse would evade danger in the frame, as Nate Lavender
struck out consecutive batters to make two outs and keep the free runner,
Martini, at second base. From there, the inning went downhill. A double from
Reynolds plated Martini and made it a 4-3 game, Hopkins was intentionally
walked and then Siani singled to make it a 5-3 game and give the Bats the
cushion they would need to win the game.
In the bottom of the tenth, the
Mets had one last chance to make some noise. With Nick Meyer as the free runner
at second base, Guillorme struck out to start the inning followed by a Mauricio
walk to put the tying runs on base with one out. However, Stewart then struck
out and Jaylin Davis flew out to end the game quietly and give the Bats their
third win in as many days. Syracuse left eight runners on base in the loss.
Syracuse is home all week at
NBT Bank Stadium, taking on the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, the
Louisville Bats. Game four of the six-game series is set for an 6:35 p.m. first
pitch on Friday night. Right-hander David Griffin is slated to start for the
Mets, opposed by right-hander Levi Stoudt for the Bats.
It’s the Golden Hour 🌅
— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) May 25, 2023
Luis Guillorme drives in the first run of the game with this single 👏
We’re up 1-0 in the fifth pic.twitter.com/aWg54RYOeK
Jonathan Araúz: third HR in three days 💪
— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) May 26, 2023
This one pulls us within 1… 3-2 Bats in the 6th pic.twitter.com/W4KNgaG1iJ
Ronny Mauricio has reached base in 16 consecutive games 🤩
— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) May 26, 2023
After this hit, DJ Stewart drove in Mauricio to tie the game 3-3 in the eighth! pic.twitter.com/H36W1f5BZK
Nate Lavender: deception 👀
— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) May 26, 2023
He Ks two in an inning of relief and his ERA now stands at 1.29 🔥
We go to the bottom of the ninth all tied at 3! pic.twitter.com/hqdSmuewWg
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