Syracuse loses lead late in 5-3 loss to Lehigh Valley on Saturday night

Allentown, PA – Although the Syracuse Mets held a lead for much of the game, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs came back to win, 5-3, on Saturday night at Coca-Cola Park.

Syracuse (76-73, 45-29) struck first, scoring all of its runs in the top of the second inning. After a pair of singles by Hayden Senger and Gilberto Celestino, Luis De Los Santos blasted a three-run homer, putting the Mets on top, 3-0.

Lehigh Valley (87-60, 41-32) kept it close throughout, scoring a pair of runs in the middle of the game. An RBI single by Oscar Mercado in the fourth made it 3-1, and a Payton Henry homer in the sixth cut the Mets’ lead to 3-2.

In the eighth, the IronPigs stormed back and took the lead. To start, Josh Breaux singled, Payton Henry walked, and Cade Fergus laid down a sacrifice bunt to put both runners in scoring position. Next, Luis Verdugo hit an RBI single, scoring Breaux, and tying the game, 3-3. Right after, Óscar Mercado grounded out to second, but Henry scored, and Lehigh Valley took a 4-3 lead. To add an insurance run, Gabriel Rincones hit a broken-bat single to bring home Verdugo, stretching the lead to 5-3.

On the mound, Justin Hagenman got the start, tossing five innings, allowing just one unearned run. Kevin Herget pitched the sixth and seventh, giving up one run while striking out six batters. Austin Warren pitched the eighth inning and allowed three runs.

Syracuse finishes its six-game series against Lehigh Valley with game six on Sunday afternoon. Right-hander Jonathan Pintaro is scheduled to start for the Mets with right-hander Alan Rangel set to go for the IronPigs. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.