Gonzalez Hits First Triple-A Home Run in 9-5 Loss

SYRACUSE, NY – The Charlotte Knights dropped a tough one to the Syracuse Mets on Friday night by a final score of 9-5. Charlotte pounded out ten hits, received a strong starting pitching performance from Owen White, and netted production from up-and-down the lineup. However, the difference in the end was a five-run inning for Syracuse.

White worked through the Mets batting order with perfection over the first three innings, nine up and nine down. The Knights claimed a 1-0 lead with a run in the second inning. Andre Lipcius went first-to-third on a Blake Sabol single, then raced home when the throw to third hit Lipcius in the helmet. The ball ricocheted under the tarp and Sabol took second base.

In the fourth, Syracuse hit a pair of soft singles, took advantage of a Knights error, and scored three runs. The Mets kept the pressure on with five more runs in the fifth.

Trailing 8-1, Charlotte began to make their comeback. Adam Hackenberg doubled in the sixth and scored on a two-run Home Run off the bat of Jacob Gonzalez. The Knights added two more runs in the seventh innings on a Lipcius RBI double and a bases-loaded hit by pitch.

Unfortunately, the deficit remained at three until the Mets added a solo Home Run in the eighth inning. The Knights did not threaten over the final two frames.

Zach Franklin and Cam Booser both pitched a scoreless inning out of the bullpen while Lipcius led the charge offensively with three hits. Vinny Capra netted another multi-hit game with a 2-for-5 line at the top of the batting order and extended his hitting streak to six games.

Both teams are back in action on Saturday evening with the first pitch scheduled for 6:35pm ET.