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Syracuse Mets

RailRiders Stun Martin, Chiefs in Ninth

August 19, 2014 - International League (IL1)
Syracuse Mets News Release


The Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, lost 6-5 to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders at PNC Field on Tuesday night. RailRiders center fielder Jose Pirela hit a game-winning, three-run triple with two outs in the bottom of the ninth against Syracuse closer Rafael Martin.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (64-66) struck quickly in the first for the lead. Pirela led off the bottom of the first with a single against Syracuse (74-55) starter Omar Poveda, and second baseman Rob Refsnyder did the same in the next at-bat. Zoilo Almonte, the RailRiders right fielder, then singled to left field, bringing in Pirela. With two outs in the inning, Refsnyder came in to score on a passed ball for a 2-0 RailRider lead.

The home team tacked on to its advantage with a run in the third. Pirela led off the frame with a home run well past the left-field wall against Poveda. The blast was Pirela's ninth of the season and gave Scranton/Wilkes-Barre a 3-0 lead.

Shut down through the first four innings against RailRiders right-hander Zach Nuding, the Chiefs offense came alive in the top of the fifth inning. First baseman Greg Dobbs jumpstarted the rally with a base hit to left, one of three he collected in the game. Sandy Leon followed that single with one of his own, a shot down the right-field line that sent Dobbs to third base. Syracuse shortstop Josh Johnson then recorded the third straight hit in the inning, a ground ball through the right side of the infield that scored Dobbs, making the score 3-1. Two batters later, a Will Rhymes sacrifice fly allowed Leon to cross home plate, and cut the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lead to 3-2.

A two-out rally led to Syracuse evening the score in the top of the sixth. After Tyler Moore flied out and Brandon Laird grounded out, Destin Hood reached on an infield single. Dobbs then lined a hit to left field, bringing Leon to the plate. On the second pitch of the at-bat, the Chiefs' backstop blooped a single off the glove of RailRiders shortstop Zelous Wheeler, scoring Hood and tying the game at three.

In the seventh, the Chiefs scored for the third consecutive inning, giving them their first lead of the game. Center fielder Eury Perez singled to left beginning the inning. Two batters later, Moore stepped to the plate against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre right-hander Diego Moreno. Facing a full count, Moore responded by depositing a two-run home run onto the concourse beyond the left-field wall at PNC Field, putting Syracuse ahead, 5-3. The homer was Moore's 10th of the season.

Right-hander Sam Runion, making his debut with the team, and left-hander Xavier Cedeno kept the RailRiders off the scoreboard with a combined three and one-third innings of scoreless pitching, sending the Chiefs to the bottom of the ninth with a 5-3 lead. Rafael Martin, who entered the inning not having allowed an earned run in his last 46 and one-third innings thrown, loaded the bases before getting two outs. With the RailRiders down to their final strike, Pirela sent an opposite-field triple to right, just past the outstretched glove of Nate Schierholtz, scoring three runs and ending the game. The 6-5 defeat was just Syracuse's fourth this season when leading after eight innings.

The two-game series between Syracuse and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre ends Wednesday night, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. Right-hander A.J. Cole will start for the Chiefs and will be opposed by right-hander Bryan Mitchell for the RailRiders.

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