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IL1 Syracuse Mets

Chiefs Kick off Season with Sweep of IronPigs

April 8, 2016 - International League (IL1)
Syracuse Mets News Release


Empty Stands at Coca-Cola Park where the Syracuse Chiefs Kicked off their Season
Empty Stands at Coca-Cola Park where the Syracuse Chiefs Kicked off their Season
(Syracuse Mets, Credit: Eric Gallanty)

Allentown, PA - The Syracuse Chiefs swept a doubleheader from the Lehigh Valley IronPigs Friday afternoon by scores of 5-1 and 2-1 in two games closed to the public at Coca-Cola Park. Trea Turner scored three runs in the two games, including the game-winning run in the second game on a wild pitch, to lead the Chiefs to the sweep.

Syracuse (2-0) got out to a fast start in the bottom of the first inning of game one. Turner walked to start the frame against IronPigs starter Jake Thompson. Two hitters later, Scott Sizemore doubled to left-center field to put runners at second and third. Turner would then score on a wild pitch and Sizemore came home on an RBI groundout by Matt Skole to give the Chiefs a 2-0 lead.

Lehigh Valley (2-0) scored its lone run of the game in the second. After a double play, Taylor Featherston reached on a throwing error by Turner from shortstop. He scored when Angelys Nina doubled to right field for an unearned run.

Both Thompson and Chiefs starter A.J. Cole settled in and the game held at 2-1 until the bottom of the sixth. Turner once again got the inning started with a infield single off Edward Mujica. Turner moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tony Campana and then stole third as Scott Sizemore walked. Syracuse then put together three straight hits, a double from Skole and singles by Jason Martinson and Brian Goodwin, which brought in three runs to extend the lead to 5-1.

Lehigh Valley did load the bases in the seventh and bring the tying run to the plate, but Rafael Martin induced a pop out by Darnell Sweeney to end the game.

In game two, Martinson got the Chiefs on the board with a line-drive home run off the left-field foul pole in the first inning to give the Chiefs a 1-0 lead. The home run the first of the season for Martinson, who led Syracuse with 19 last year.

Game two held at 1-0 until the 5th inning. Chiefs starter Taylor Jordan allowed singles to Ryan Jackson and Carlos Alonso with one out in the fifth inning. The runners moved to second and third on a sacrifice bunt by Adam Morgan. Jordan then uncorked a wild pitch on ball four to Sweeney, allowing Jackson to score from third and tie the game at one.

Wild pitches continued to be a theme of the day as the Chiefs took the lead back in the bottom of the sixth. Luis Garcia walked three straight Chiefs - Turner, Martinson and Sizemore - to load the bases with no one out. Right-hander Andrew Bailey entered and nearly salvaged the situation, striking out Nate Freiman and Skole. However, he uncorked a wild pitch with a 2-0 count against Jhonatan Solano, bringing home Turner for the eventual game-winning run.

Right-hander Nick Masset shut the door with a scoreless seventh inning. In total, four Chiefs relievers (Sammy Solis, Martin, Trevor Gott, Masset) combined to strike out five and allow just two hits in four shutout frames in the twin bill.

The Chiefs, who are idle on Saturday and Sunday, return to Syracuse for the NBT Bank Stadium opener on Monday at 6:35 vs. the Buffalo Bisons. Right-hander Taylor Hill is scheduled to oppose left-hander Wade LeBlanc.

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Images from this story

Empty Stands at Coca-Cola Park where the Syracuse Chiefs Kicked off their Season
Empty Stands at Coca-Cola Park where the Syracuse Chiefs Kicked off their Season
(Eric Gallanty)		   



International League Stories from April 8, 2016


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