The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (47-55) four-game win streak ended Friday night at Coca-Cola Park against the Syracuse Mets (40-62). The IronPigs welcomed back Jorge Bonifacio to the lineup after he and Nick Maton returned from the Phillies.
Cristopher Sanchez (4-6, 4.81 ERA) started for Lehigh Valley versus Syracuse’s Josh Walker (0-2, 4.89 ERA).
IronPigs pitcher Cristopher Sanchez gave up the first two singles before Mets right fielder Jose Martinez’s RBI single on a ground ball to left field put the Mets up 1-0 at the top of the first inning.
Then, Cristopher Sanchez walked Mets first baseman David Thompson to load the bases for Mets third baseman Bran Drury. He grounded into a double play towards IronPigs shortstop Arquimedes Gamboa that brought home another run 2-0 followed by an RBI double to left field from Met’s shortstop Wilfredo Tovar that made it 3-0.
At the top of the sixth inning, Cristopher Sanchez got the first two Mets batters out before walking first baseman David Thompson. After walking Thompson, Cristopher Sanchez was replaced by Austin Ross. Sanchez finished the night throwing 91 pitches and went (5.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO). IronPigs pitcher Austin walked the next two Mets batters before striking out Mets left fielder Mason Williams to end the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the IronPigs bats came alive. First, the IronPigs had runners on first and second base when third baseman T.J. Rivera doubled on a line drive to left field, scoring two runs that cut the Mets lead to 3-2. Then, IronPigs catcher Tyler Heineman hit a ground-rule double after the ball went off the glove of Mets first baseman David Thompson and went over the tarp that brought home a run to tie the game 3-3.
The game remained tied, heading into the top of the ninth inning until the Mets struck again. After IronPigs pitcher Zach McAllister gave up a single to Mets shortstop Wilfredo Tovar, Mets pitch hitter Chester Cuthbert crushed a two-run home run out to left field that put the Mets back in the lead 5-3.
McAllister put two more Mets players on base before being replaced with Damon Jones. Damon Jones loaded the bases by walking Mets center fielder Mark Payton. Jones was having trouble controlling the baseball, and it cost him when the ball went off the glove of catcher Tyler Heineman, scoring a run for the Mets 6-3. Then, Mets first baseman David Thompson put the game away with an RBI single to right field for a 7-3 lead.
Pitcher Tom Hackimer closed the game for the Mets. He gave up two hits and struck out three IronPigs batters to end the game. The IronPigs’ four-game streak ended in a 7-3 loss.
The win went to Mets pitcher Franklyn Kilome (2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 SO), while the loss went to IronPigs pitcher Zach McAllister (1.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 HR).
The IronPigs and Mets play a doubleheader today with game one at 4:35 pm, and the second game will start 30-40 minutes after game one. Both teams will announce their game one starters later.
