Syracuse Mets Recap: Six-Run Eighth Inning Drowns Syracuse in Loss to Lehigh Valley Saturday

Box Score

Allentown, PA – A five-run outburst over the sixth and seventh innings was erased late as the Syracuse Mets fell to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 8-6, on Saturday night at Coca-Cola Park.

Syracuse (3-2, 41-39) broke through in the top of the fourth inning. Cristian Pache doubled with two outs before Yonny Hernández lined an RBI single to left field, giving the Mets a 1-0 lead.

Lehigh Valley (2-3, 37-43) answered in the bottom half of the inning. Keaton Anthony walked and eventually scored on an RBI single by Robert Moore, tying the game at 1-1.

The IronPigs took their first lead in the fifth when Dylan Moore launched a solo home run to left field, making it 2-1.

The Mets responded with a two-run sixth inning. Jihwan Bae tripled to begin the frame and scored on an RBI double by Hernández to tie the game. After Hernández advanced to third on a throwing error, Vidal Bruján lined a two-out RBI single to center, giving Syracuse a 3-2 advantage.

Syracuse added three more runs in the seventh. Hayden Senger drew a walk and Bae followed with another free pass before Cristian Pache blooped a two-run single into right field. Hernández then laced an RBI double to left, stretching the Mets lead to 6-2.

Lehigh Valley stormed back in the eighth. Bryan De La Cruz and Dylan Carlson hit solo home runs before René Pinto launched a two-run homer to tie the game, 6-6. Later in the inning, Felix Reyes scored on a dropped-third strike, and Keaton Anthony added an RBI single, capping a six-run frame and putting the IronPigs in front, 8-6.

The Mets were unable to answer in the ninth, as Michael Mercado retired the side to secure the victory for Lehigh Valley.

On the mound, Xzavion Curry allowed two runs over four and one-third innings in his start. Parker Carlson forced a bases-loaded double play to end the inning and tossed a scoreless sixth, while Joey Gerber worked a clean seventh inning. Matt Turner was charged with four runs in the eighth, and Guillo Zuñiga allowed the eventual winning runs before Ofreidy Gómez recorded the final out of the inning.

Hernández led the Syracuse offense, going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three runs batted in. Over his last five games, the 28-year-old is 13-for-21 (.619/.636/.952) with seven doubles and five runs batted in. Pache finished with two hits and two runs batted in, while Bae reached base three times, tripled, scored twice, and walked.

Syracuse wraps up its six-game series against Lehigh Valley on Sunday afternoon. Mets' No. 4 prospect Jack Wenninger takes the ball against right-hander Andrew Painter, who makes his first Triple-A start of the season after being optioned by the Phillies. First pitch at Coca-Cola Park is scheduled for 1:35 p.m.