The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (30-28) and the Syracuse Mets (23-26) played game two on Friday night at NBT Bank Stadium. Coming into this game, the IronPigs saw their four-game winning streak snapped and took aim at starting another one.
Before the game started, the Philadelphia Phillies activated Jose Alvarado from his rehab assignment and sent RHP Connor Brogdon to Lehigh Valley.
Lehigh Valley went with a bullpen game with Nick Nelson (0-0, 2.25 ERA) on the mound. It was his first game back from injury. He went up against Syracuse pitcher Denyi Reyes (0-1, 5.84 ERA).
In the bottom of the first inning, the Mets took a 1-0 when Danny Mendick hit Nelson’s fastball over the wall at left field. It was the second straight home run for Mendick against the IronPigs in this series. Nelson gave up a single to Tyler White with one out before striking out DJ Stewart and Jaylin Davis which retired the side.
At the top of the second inning with one out, Jim Haley singled to left field, followed by Reyes walking Jordan Qsar. John Hicks was next. During his at-bat, Reyes threw a wild pitch that moved both runners up a base. Hicks brought Haley home with a sacrifice fly to center field, tying the game 1-1. Vimael Machin had a chance to keep the game going but he flies out to Tanner Murphy at center field which ended the inning.
Lehigh Valley carried that momentum at the top of the third inning with one out for Weston Wilson. He hit Reyes’s breaking ball that carried over the wall at left-center field for a 2-1 lead. It was Wilson’s 14th home run of the season and his 42nd RBI of the year. Lehigh Valley did not add any more runs in the inning.
The Mets battled back in the bottom of the third inning. After Nick Nelson walked Danny Mendick, he got Ronny Mauricio to ground out toward first baseman Darick Hall, moving Mendick up a base for Tyler White with one out. White brought Mendick home with a single off Nelson’s fastball to left field, tying the game 2-2.
Nelson struck out DJ Stewart and Jaylin Davis which ended the inning. Nelson finished the night pitching three innings, allowing three hits, two runs, two walks, and five strikeouts in 53 pitches, of which 33 were strikes.
The game did not stay tied for long. Lehigh Valley added seven runs in two innings. It started at the top of the fifth inning when Reyes walked Vimael Machin. Two batters later with one out, Weston Wilson doubled on a sharp line drive to left field, moving Machin to third base with Darick Hall coming to the plate.
Long Ball Hall hit Reyes’s fastball into the Salt City Deck at right field for a three-run home run that made it 5-2. The ball carried 450 feet. That was the only run scored in the inning.
Then, at the top of the sixth inning, Jim Haley was the first to face new Syracuse pitcher Jimmy Yacabonis. He singled, followed by a Jordan Qsar walk with nobody out for John Hicks. Hick crushed Yacabonis’s fastball and everyone just watched it sail over the wall at center field for an 8-2 lead. It was Hicks’s second home run of the season.
Two batters with one out, Jake Cave singled to right field with Weston Wilson coming to the plate. The Mets changed pitchers. During Wilson’s at-bat, Cave stole second base and Dedniel Nunez walked Wilson on a wild pitch as Cave went to third base.
Darick Hall was next and brought home Cave with a sacrifice fly to left field for a 9-2 lead. Lehigh Valley did not add any more runs in the inning.
In need of a response, the Mets went long in the bottom of the sixth inning. Luis F. Ortiz was pitching for Lehigh Valley. He walked Jaylin Davis before Jonathan Arauz hit a two-run home run to right field, cutting Lehigh Valley’s lead to 9-4.
Then, Carlos Cortes hit a solo home run over the wall at right field, and suddenly it was a four-run game 9-5. Syracuse did not get any more runs in the inning.
Moving ahead to the bottom of the eighth inning, Jacob Barnes was pitching for Lehigh Valley. With one out, he gave up a triple to Jonathan Arauz although the Mets caught a break as third baseman Vimael Machin tagged out Arauz but the third base umpire ruled him safe.
Next, Barnes walked Carlos Cortes before Nick Meyer brought Arauz home with a sacrifice fly to right field. It was now 9-6 Lehigh Valley with two outs. Barnes struck out Tanner Murphy that retired the side.
Ben Bowden closed out the game in the bottom of the ninth inning. After second baseman Jim Haley committed an error, Bowden got the final three outs that ended the game. Lehigh Valley defeated Syracuse by the final score of 9-6.
It was great to see Hall hit a home run again. Lehigh Valley’s offense had 12 hits, went 2-8 with runners in scoring position, and left seven men on base. Lehigh Valley pitcher Trey Cobb earned his second win of the season, Bobby Bowden earned his second save of the year, and Denyi Reyes lost his second game of the season.
The IronPigs and Mets play a doubleheader on Saturday. The first game starts at 4:05 pm on MiLB.com, followed by game two 45 minutes after game one ends. Tickets for the game are available on StubHub and Viagogo. Also, pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
