The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (13-14) continued their 12-game road trip on Tuesday night at the NBT Bank Stadium against the Syracuse Mets (14-14) for the first time this season.
Coming into this game, the IronPigs aimed to break a two-game losing streak. Ranger Suarez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Syracuse’s Humberto Mejia (1-2, 4.98 ERA).
Lehigh Valley pitcher Ranger Suarez pitched two innings with one walk, and one strikeout in 29 pitches, of which 20 were strikes. Mother Nature ended his night when rain fell onto the stadium and there was a 20-minute delay. Once the delay was over, Michael Plassmeyer was the new Lehigh Valley pitcher.
After three scoreless innings, Lehigh Valley struck first at the top of the fourth inning when right fielder Dustin Peterson hit a two-run home run off a hanging breaking ball over the left field wall for a 2-0 lead with one out. Jordan Qsar popped out and Weston Wilson struck out that ended the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Mets tied the game 2-2 on a two-run home run by Mark Vientos off of Plassmeyer’s fastball over the wall at left field. Plassmeyer recovered to get three outs which ended the inning.
Moving ahead to the bottom of the sixth inning, the Mets had the bases loaded for Jaylin Davis. He tripled on a line drive to the corner of right field as Dustin Peterson missed a diving catch, scoring two runs and Syracuse led 4-2. Jose Peraza flies out to left fielder Simon Muzziotti for the final out of the inning.
Then, at the top of the seventh inning, the IronPigs put up six runs against Syracuse pitcher Eric Orze. Lehigh Valley first baseman Jim Haley was up to bat with the bases loaded and one out. He hit a two-run double off a hanging breaking ball out to left field, scoring two runs, tying the game 4-4.
Next up was third baseman Esteban Quiroz. Quiroz doubled on a line drive to center field, scoring Scott Kingery and Jim Haley for a 6-4 lead, followed by a single from John Hicks to move Quiroz to third base. Simon Muzziotti was next and he hit into a fielder’s choice on a throwing error by third baseman Mark Vientos for a 7-4 lead.
Dustin Peterson stepped up to the plate. He singled on a ground ball to left field, scoring John Hicks for an 8-4 lead. It was his third RBI of the night. After the Mets changed pitchers, the IronPigs could not score any more runs in the inning.
At the top of the eighth inning with a runner on second base and two outs, Esteban Quiroz singled on a fly ball to center field, scoring Jim Haley for a 9-4 lead. It was Quiroz’s third RBI of the night. John Hicks popped out to end the inning.
In the last two innings, the Mets got close to Lehigh Valley. Jaylin Davis hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning and it was now 9-6 Lehigh Valley. Jesus Cruz closed out the game for the Lehigh Valley in the bottom of the ninth inning. Mark Vientos was up to bat with two outs and runners on first and second base. He singled to center field, scoring Danny Mendick and it was now 9-7. Cruz got Jonathan Arauz to pop out for the final out of the game.
Lehigh Valley defeated the Mets by the final score of 9-7. The IronPigs had 12 hits, went 3 for 8 with runners in scoring position, and left six men on base.
The win went to Michael Plassmeyer. He pitched four innings, allowing five hits, four runs, one walk, and five strikeouts in 80 pitches, of which 51 were strikes for his second win of the season. Jesus Cruz earned his first save of the year and the loss went to Syracuse pitcher Eric Orze.
Game two between the IronPigs and Mets is on Wednesday at 1:05 pm on MiLB.com. Tickets for the game are available on StubHub and Viagogo.
