Allentown, PA – The Syracuse Mets fell in walk-off fashion to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 6-4, on Friday night at Coca-Cola Park.
Syracuse (27-26, 65-63) struck first in the third inning. Jose Ramos led off the frame with his third home run of the season, a solo shot to right field, giving the Mets a 1-0 lead. Hayden Senger followed with a single, but Syracuse could not add on after D’Andre Smith grounded into a double play.
Lehigh Valley (27-25, 62-65) answered in the bottom half. Payton Henry reached on a throwing error before Robert Moore launched a two-run home run to right field, putting the IronPigs ahead, 2-1.
The Mets tied the game in the fourth. Ronny Mauricio singled with two outs before MJ Melendez doubled to left field, scoring Mauricio and making it 2-2.
Lehigh Valley regained the lead in the fifth. Dylan Moore and Henry opened the inning with walks before Robert Moore was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rafael Marchán followed with a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Dylan Moore and putting the IronPigs ahead, 3-2.
Syracuse responded with its biggest offensive inning of the night in the sixth. Nick Morabito singled to open the frame and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Émilien Pitre. Mark Vientos then walked before Mauricio singled to load the bases. Billy Amick followed with a two-run single to right field, scoring Morabito and Vientos and giving the Mets a 4-3 lead.
The IronPigs tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. Keaton Anthony singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Colby Thomas doubled to left field, bringing Anthony home to make it 4-4.
Neither team scored in the seventh or eighth innings, setting up a dramatic finish.
Syracuse put the potential go-ahead run on base in the ninth when Ramos drew a leadoff walk. Senger moved Ramos to second with a sacrifice bunt, and Ramos advanced to third on a flyout by D’Andre Smith, but the Mets could not bring him home.
Lehigh Valley then won the game in the bottom of the ninth. Dylan Moore drew a leadoff walk before Payton Henry struck out following an overturned ABS challenge. Robert Moore followed with his second home run of the game, a two-run shot to right-center field, giving the IronPigs a 6-4 walk-off victory.
Justin Hagenman pitched on major league rehab. Hagenman tossed four innings, allowed two runs on two hits with four strikeouts. Jack Wenninger followed with three innings and allowed two runs with six strikeouts. Zach Franklin pitched a perfect eighth with two strikeouts, and Ben Simon surrendered the walk-off homer.
Mark Vientos played in his third rehab game with Syracuse and went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
The Mets and IronPigs will continue their series with a doubleheader on Saturday at Coca-Cola Park, with the first game scheduled for 4:35 p.m. Jack Weisenburger is scheduled to pitch in game one, and Jonah Tong is slated to get the ball in game two.