The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (32-28) and the Syracuse Mets (23-28) played a doubleheader on Saturday at NBT Bank Stadium. Coming into this game, the series was tied at one apiece.
Cristopher Sanchez (2-2, 4.74 ERA) took the mound for Lehigh Valley in game one against Syracuse’s Jose Butto (1-1, 6.82 ERA). Sanchez was looking for his third straight win of the season.
After a scoreless first inning, the Mets took the lead in the bottom of the second inning. It started when Carlos Cortes singled to right field. Two batters later with one out, Tanner Murphy doubled to left field, moving Cortes to third base. Danny Mendick was next. He brought Cortes home with an RBI signed to center field for a 1-0 lead. Sanchez picked up the last two outs which ended the inning.
Lehigh Valley battled back at the top of the third inning. Esteban Quiroz started the inning with a single as Jake Cave approached the plate. Syracuse pitcher Jose Butto threw a hanging breaking ball but Cave crushed it onto the weeds at right field for a two-run home. It was 2-1 Lehigh Valley. Cave’s home run went 454 feet and 110 mph off the bat.
Next, Jose Butto walked Jim Haley before Darick Hall grounded into a double play, and Weston Wilson grounded out toward shortstop Jonathan Arauz for the final out of the inning.
At the top of the sixth inning, Lehigh Valley had a chance to add another run. Simon Muzziotti tripled to right field after DJ Stewart missed the ball as it rolled toward the wall. Two batters later with two outs, Jordan Qsar walked. Scott Kingery was next. During his at-bat, Qsar and Muzziotti attempted a double steal but Muzziotti was out at home plate, ending the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Cristopher Sanchez gave up a double to Carlos Cortes with one out. He got the last two outs that ended the inning. That was it for Sanchez, who pitched a great game going six innings, allowing seven hits, one run, one walk, and four strikeouts in 96 pitches, of which 63 were strikes.
Lehigh Valley added insurance runs at the top of the seventh inning when Scott Kingery and Esteban Quiroz hit back-to-back home runs that made it 4-1. It was Kingery’s sixth home run of the season and Quiroz’s second home run of the year.
It was the second time this year that Lehigh Valley hit back-to-back home runs. The first to do it was Vimael Machin and Jordan Qsar in Syracuse on May 5th. Then, Syracuse pitcher Vinny Nittoli walked Jake Cave but Jim Haley grounded toward third baseman Danny Mendick for a forceout at second base. Darick Hall was next. He doubled on a fly ball to center field, scoring Haley for a 5-1 lead with one out. Lehigh Valley did not add any more runs in the inning.
Jace Vines closed out the game for the IronPigs in the bottom of the seventh inning. He gave up a double to Danny Mendick that started the inning. Next, Vines struck out Ronny Mauricio and Tyler White before getting DJ Stewart to fly out toward right fielder Jordan Qsar, who made the catch that ended the game. The IronPigs won game one by the final score of 5-1.
Lehigh Valley finished game one with eight hits, 0-6 with runners in scoring position, and left six men on base. Lehigh Valley pitcher Cristopher Sanchez won his third consecutive game, and Jose Butto lost his second game for Syracuse.
In game two, T.J. Zeuch (2-2, 4.60 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Syracuse’s David Peterson (1-1, 4.07 ERA).
The IronPigs struck first at the top of the first inning with two outs when Dustin Peterson hit Peterson’s fastball over the wall at left field for a 1-0 lead. It was Peterson’s eighth home run of the season. Next, Peterson walked Jim Haley and John Hicks for Simon Muzziotti.
Muzziotti singled to right field, scoring Haley for a 2-0 lead. Then, Peterson walked Jhailyn Ortiz that loaded the bases for Vimael Machin. Machin got a piece of the ball for a slow roller as Peterson picked it up and threw it wide right to first baseman Nick Meyer as Hicks and Muzziotti scored for a 4-0 lead. An error was charged to pitcher David Peterson and Machin did not get credit for the RBIs as it was ruled a fielder’s choice.
The Mets changed pitchers after the play with William Woods replacing Peterson. Williams got Scott Kingery to pop out for the final out of the inning.
In the bottom of the first inning, Lehigh Valley pitcher T.J. Zeuch gave up a single to Danny Mendick. Three batters later with two outs, Zeuch threw a fastball at DJ Stewart and he crushed it for a two-run home out to center field, cutting the IronPigs lead to 4-2. Then, Zeuch struck out Jaylin Davis that retired the side.
In the bottom of the second inning, Zeuch walked Jonathan Arauz followed by a single from Carlos Cortes. Two batters later with one out, Michael Perez was next. Perez grounded toward second baseman Scott Kingery as Arauz scored, making it a one-run game 4-3 for Danny Mendick. Mendick singled toward a charging Weston Wilson but he threw the ball low to first baseman Jim Haley and Carlos Cortes scored, tying the game 4-4.
Ronny Mauricio was next. He signed to center field, scoring Mendick that put the Mets up front 5-4. Then, Zeuch got Tyler White to line out in the direction of right fielder Jhailyn Ortiz for the final out of the inning. Zeuch pitched one more inning. He finished the night pitching three innings, allowing five hits, five runs, four earned runs, one walk, one walk, and three strikeouts in 48 pitches, of which 35 were strikes.
Lehigh Valley got the lead back at the top of the fourth inning. The Mets changed pitchers before the inning started with Dennis Santana in for William Woods. Vimael Machin started the inning with a single followed by a Scott Kingery walk. Next, Weston Wilson singled to center field that loaded the bases for Jake Cave.
Jake Cave brought Machin home with a sacrifice fly to center field, tying the game 5-5. Two batters later with two outs, Jim Haley put the IronPigs back on top 7-5 with a two-run double to right field, scoring Kingery and Wilson. John Hicks popped out which ended the inning.
Moving ahead to the top of the sixth inning, Lehigh Valley added an insurance run when Scott Kingery hit a solo home run to center field for an 8-5 lead. It was Kingery’s seventh home run of the season. Lehigh Valley did not score another run in the inning.
Moving to the bottom of the seventh inning, Andrew Bellatti closed out the game for Lehigh Valley. He picked up the final three outs of the game and the IronPigs completed the doubleheader sweep with an 8-5 win over the Mets.
With the wins, the IronPigs win the series regardless of what happens on Sunday. Lehigh Valley finished game two with nine hits, went 3-10 with runners in scoring position, and left seven men on base. Lehigh Valley’s bullpen of Jesus Cruz, Jake Jewell, and Bellatti pitched four scoreless innings with three walks and one strikeout.
Jesus Cruz earned his first win of the season for Lehigh Valley, Andrew Bellatti earned his first save of the year, and Dennis Santana lost his first game of the season for the Mets.
The IronPigs and Mets close out the five-game series on Sunday at 1:05 pm on MiLB.com. Tickets for the game are available on StubHub and Viagogo. Also, pick up IronPigs merchandise today at Fanatics.com.
