After not playing for two days due to unhealthy air quality in Syracuse. The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (29-28) and the Syracuse Mets (23-35) played game one of a five-game series on Thursday night at NBT Bank Stadium.
Coming into this game, Lehigh Valley was riding a four-game winning streak and 6-4 in their last ten games. In their first meeting last month, the IronPigs took five of six games from the Mets at NBT Bank Stadium.
In addition, catcher Rafael Marchan and outfielder Cristian Pache were in the lineup on their rehab assignments. Noah Skirrow (5-1, 5.69 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Syracuse’s Joey Lucchesi (3-1, 2.76 ERA).
After a scoreless first inning, Noah Skirrow walked Michael Perez and Carlos Cortes with two outs in the bottom of the second inning with Danny Mendick approaching the plate. Mendick put the Mets up 3-0 when he hit Skirrow’s breaking ball into the 315 Bullpen Bar at left field for a three-run home run. It was the ninth consecutive start that Skirrow has allowed a home run. Skirrow got Ronny Mauricio to line out that retired the side.
In the bottom of the third inning, Skirrow gave up a single to Tyler White as DJ Stewart was next. Stewart hit Skirrow’s breaking ball over the right field wall for a two-run home run that made it 5-0 Mets with nobody out. Skirrow then picked up the three outs which ended the inning.
Skirrow pitched 4.1 innings, allowing six hits, five runs, five walks, and three strikeouts in 93 pitches, of which 50 were strikes. Taylor Lehman took over for Skirrow in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The IronPigs batters were quiet in the first five innings only getting two hits and one walk. Scott Kingery walked that started the top of the sixth inning with Weston Wilson next. Wilson singled, moving Kingery to third base. Jake Cave was next. During his at-bat, Wilson stole second base but Cave struck out.
Dustin Pederson was next and he too struck out with Darick Hall coming to bat. Hall singled past a diving Ronny Mauricio and into right field, scoring Kingery and Wilson. It was now 5-2 Mets. Cristian Pache grounded into a force out at second base that ended the inning. Those were the only runs the IronPigs scored in this game.
Moving to the top of the ninth inning, Syracuse pitcher Josh Walker closed out the game. He struck out Dustin Pederson and Darick Hall before getting Cristian Pache to line out which ended the game. The IronPigs lost to the Mets by the final score of 5-2. The loss snaps the IronPigs’ four-game winning streak.
Lehigh Valley finished the night with four hits, 1-7 with runners in scoring position, and left three men on base. Lehigh Valley’s bullpen of Taylor Lehman, Jeremy Walker, and Andrew Bellatti combined to pitch four innings, allowing one hit, and two strikeouts.
Noah Skirrow lost his second game of the season. He is now 5-2, while Syracuse pitcher Joey Lucchesi won his fourth game of the year, while Josh Walker earned his first save of the season for Syracuse.
The two teams will play again on Friday at 6:35 pm on MiLB.com. Tickets for the game are available on StubHub and Viagogo. Also, pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
