On Saturday night at NBT Bank Stadium, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (42-35) won their second straight game 9-5 over the Syracuse Mets (31-45).
Ricardo Sanchez (2-3, 5.28 ERA) was on the mound for the IronPigs, while the Mets started Dave Griffin (1-4, 4.18 ERA).
After two scoreless innings, the IronPigs struck first at the top of the third inning. First, IronPigs’ second baseman Ali Castillo singled. Then, IronPigs’ shortstop Scott Kingery hit a ground ball to right field. The ball went underneath Mets’ right fielder Quinn Brody and rolled towards the wall, allowing Kingery to reach third base while Castillo scored for a 1-0 lead.
IronPigs’ center fielder Dalton Guthrie continued with the hot bats as he drove in Kingery with a double to right field for a 2-0 lead. Next, third baseman Will Toffey was up to bat. He singled on a ground ball to right field. Dalton Guthrie tried to score, but Quinn Brody’s arm reached Mets’ catcher Patrick Mazeika in time for the out. Then, Mets pitcher Dave Griffin struck out Dustin Peterson and Donny Sands to end the inning.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Mets battled back. IronPigs pitcher Ricardo Sanchez gave up two straight singles to Luke Ritter and Quinn Brody, followed by hitting Kramer Robertson to load the bases for Mets’ left fielder Nick Plummer.
Plummer grounded out toward second base, but the IronPigs could not turn a double play and settled for one out, but a run scored, cutting Lehigh Valley’s lead 2-1. Then, a sacrifice fly by first baseman Mark Vientos tied the game 2-2. Finally, Ricardo Sanchez was able to get Mets’ catcher Patrick Mazeika to ground into a double play that retired the side.
At the top of the fourth inning, IronPigs’ first baseman Josh Ockimey started the inning with a single, bringing up Jorge Bonifacio. Bonifacio crushed a two-run home run off the foul pole at left field, putting the IronPigs back on top, 4-2. It was Bonifacio’s tenth home run of the season. IronPigs’ catcher Rafael Marchan followed up with a single, but Ali Castillo grounded into a double play, and Scott Kingery struck out swinging for the third out.
At the top of the fifth inning, Trey Cobb replaced David Griffin as the Mets pitcher. Cobb got Dalton Guthrie to pop out, followed by a single from Will Toffey. During IronPigs’ right fielder Dustin Peterson’s plate appearance, Will Toffey stole second base. Peterson followed up with a single that put runners on the corners, bringing up designated hitter Donny Sands.
During Sands’ at-bat, Mets catcher Patrick Mazeika threw over to first baseman Nick Meyer as Peterson attempted to steal second base. However, Nick Meyer spotted Will Toffey trying to steal home and threw it back to Mazeika. Mazeika dropped the ball, and Toffey scored, while Peterson stole second base. The score was now 5-2 IronPigs.
Next, Trey Cobb walked Donny Sands, and up was Josh Ockimey. He singled on a line drive to center field, scoring Peterson for a 6-2 lead. IronPigs’ left field fielder Jorge Bonifacio had a chance to do more damage, but he popped out for the second out.
IronPigs’ catcher Rafael Marchan was up next. He doubled on a line drive to the corner of right field, adding another run, 7-2. Then, IronPigs’ second baseman Ali Castillo singled to center field, bringing home two more runs for a 9-2 lead. Finally, Scott Kingery grounded to Mets’ shortstop Kramer Robertson for the final out.
IronPigs Ricardo Sanchez got into trouble in the bottom of the sixth inning. First, he struck out Mark Vientos, followed by a Patrick Mazeika home run just over the right field wall, making it 9-3. Then, Sanchez walked Mets’ first baseman Nick Meyer before striking out Johneshwy Fargas. Finally, Sanchez gave up a single to Gosuke Katoh, and that would be it for Sanchez.
Sanchez was frustrated after being taken out of the game, going 5.2 innings, allowing six hits, three runs, one walk, and four strikeouts on 91 pitches. It would’ve been nice to see Sanchez get the last out, but he was exhausted, and the IronPigs manager made the right call. Joe Gatto replaced him, and he struck out Luke Ritter to end the inning.
Moving ahead to the bottom of the eighth inning, Michael Kelly replaced Joe Gatto. Gatto went 1.1 innings, allowing no hits, no runs, two walks, and two strikeouts on 29 pitches. Kelly gave up a double to Nick Meyer, followed by a two-run home run to Johneshwy Fargas, cutting the IronPigs lead, 9-5.
Michael Kelly got Gosuke Kotch to fly out, followed by back-to-back strikeouts on Luke Ritter and Quinn Brody that retired the side.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Kelly closed out the game. He gave up a single to Kramer Robertson, then struck out Nick Plummer. Finally, Kelly got Mark Vientos to ground into a double play that ended the game, and the IronPigs won 9-5.
The win went to IronPigs’ starter Ricardo Sanchez, his third of the season, while the loss went to Mets’ starter Dave Griffin (4.0 IP, nine hits, 4 R, 0 BB, 5 SO).
The IronPigs will have a chance to split the series today at 6:05 pm. Tickets for the game can be purchased at StubHub, and pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
