Syracuse opens series with 4-3 win over Lehigh Valley on Tuesday night
Lehigh Valley, PA – The Syracuse Mets started off their final regular season series with a 4-3 win over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Tuesday night at Coca-Cola Park. The Mets remain three games behind the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in the International League second half standings with five games left to
Lehigh Valley, PA – The Syracuse Mets started off their final regular season series with a 4-3 win over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Tuesday night at Coca-Cola Park. The Mets remain three games behind the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in the International League second half standings with five games left to play in the regular season.
Syracuse (74-71, 43-27) opened the scoring in the top of the first inning. Jett Williams led off the game with a double, moved to third base on a groundout, and came home to score when IronPigs starter Alan Rangel balked, putting the Mets in front, 1-0.
Lehigh Valley (85-58, 39-30) quickly responded in the bottom of the first with a solo home run by Aidan Miller, tying the game, 1-1.
The Mets broke the tie in the fifth inning with a trio of hits. Jose Azocar doubled to begin the frame, then stole third. Next, Kevin Parada ripped an RBI single to put Syracuse on top, 2-1. Soon after, Parada was picked off of first base, for the first out of the inning. To extend the lead, Luke Ritter smacked a solo homer, giving the Mets a 3-1 advantage.
In the sixth, the Syracuse lineup continued to produce. Ryan Clifford walked to lead off the inning, and Jared Young crushed an RBI double to the gap in left-center field, scoring Clifford and making it a 4-1 ballgame.
The IronPigs battled back in the bottom of the sixth. After a single by Christian Arroyo, Felix Reyes hit a two-run homer, tightening the game to 4-3, a lead the Mets wouldn’t relinquish.
On the mound, Jonathan Pintaro got the start, pitching four innings, only allowing one run, and striking out six batters. Next, Kevin Herget gave up two runs across two innings, but the rest of the bullpen shut it down from there. Huascar Brazobán tossed a scoreless seventh, Richard Lovelady did the same in the eighth, and Wander Suero earned a save with a clean ninth inning.
Syracuse continues its six-game series against Lehigh Valley with game two on Wednesday night. Left-hander Brandon Waddell is slated to start for the Mets with right-hander Andrew Painter set to go for the IronPigs. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m.