Allentown, PA – The Syracuse Mets erupted for 11 runs while their pitching staff turned in a dominant bullpen game, cruising past the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 11-1, on Wednesday night at Coca-Cola Park.
Syracuse (27-25, 65-62) jumped in front immediately. Émilien Pitre doubled with one out in the first, and Mark Vientos drove him home with a single to left. Vientos advanced to second on a throwing error and scored when MJ Melendez followed with an RBI single, giving the Mets a 2-0 lead.
The Mets added another run in the third. Pitre tripled to center and scored on Ronny Mauricio's RBI double, stretching the lead to 3-0.
Syracuse broke the game open in the fourth. Jose Ramos was hit by a pitch before Shawn Ross launched a two-run homer to left-center, making it 5-0. Lehigh Valley (26-25, 61-65) answered in the bottom half with a solo home run from Gabriel Rincones Jr., cutting the lead to 5-1.
The power surge continued in the fifth. Vientos led off the inning with a solo home run to center, and Billy Amick added another solo shot later in the frame to push Syracuse's advantage to 7-1.
Syracuse put the game away with three more runs in the eighth. Melendez doubled before Amick blasted his second home run of the night, a two-run shot to center that made it 9-1. Ramos then singled and scored on Ross' RBI double, extending the lead to 10-1.
The Mets scored their final run in the ninth when D'Andre Smith walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Amick's infield single and a throwing error, completing the 11-1 final.
On the mound, Syracuse’s pitching staff turned in a dominant bullpen effort, allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out 12 without issuing a walk. Kevin Herget started and tossed two scoreless innings, allowing four hits with two strikeouts. Tobias Myers earned the win, allowing one run on one hit while striking out six in two and one-third innings, including an immaculate inning in the third. Joe Jacques followed with one and two-thirds perfect innings and three strikeouts. Chris Devenski worked two scoreless innings, allowing two hits with one strikeout, before Dylan Ross tossed a perfect ninth to close out the 11-1 win.
Syracuse and Lehigh Valley continue their six-game series on Thursday night at 6:45 p.m. Right-hander Jack Wenninger is scheduled to start for the Mets opposite righty Casey Lawrence for the IronPigs.