Espino, Chiefs Finish Sweep of Braves on Sunday
May 29, 2016 - International League (IL1)
Syracuse Mets News Release
The Syracuse Chiefs closed out a three-game sweep of the Gwinnett Braves with a 3-1 victory at Coolray Field on Sunday afternoon. Paolo Espino threw seven strong innings in the win, moving the Chiefs one shy of a season high at six games over .500.
Gwinnett (24-27) added the game's first run in the opening inning. With two outs and the bases empty, Emilio Bonifacio singled and stole second base. Cleanup hitter Brandon Snyder knocked him in with a ground-ball single to left field.
Espino helped Syracuse (27-21) answer with his bat in the third inning. With one out, he lined a single to right field against G-Braves right-hander Tyrell Jenkins. Trea Turner and Tony Campana followed with singles to load the bases for Matt den Dekker. The red-hot Syracuse left fielder knocked a sacrifice fly into left field, driving in Espino to even the score.
The Chiefs took the lead for good in the next inning. Jason Martinson started the rally with a single. Caleb Ramsey then laid down a bunt down the third-base line, which Jenkins booted on a fielding attempt. The sacrifice bunt and error put a pair aboard for Syracuse. After a Scott Sizemore double play temporarily quieted the rally, Pedro Severino served an RBI single into right field, giving the Chiefs a 2-1 lead.
Those runs held up for Espino, who retired 11 straight at one point and did not surrender a run after the first. He walked one and struck out four in seven innings of seven-hit, one-run ball.
Syracuse added some insurance in the ninth against Jose Ramirez. Ramsey started the inning with a ground-ball double into left field. He advanced to third on a Sizemore sacrifice bunt and scored on a Severino sacrifice fly.
The Chiefs begin a three-game series with the Charlotte Knights Monday at 7:05 p.m. Syracuse right-hander A.J. Cole is scheduled to start against Charlotte's Chris Volstad.
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