IL1 Syracuse Mets

Chiefs Swept in Doubleheader to Conclude Marathon 25 Hours of Baseball

Published on July 26, 2018 under International League (IL1)
Syracuse Mets News Release


Norfolk, VA - The Syracuse Chiefs lost two games to the Norfolk Tides on Thursday as part of a marathon of a day, and series, at Harbor Park. Playing a doubleheader for the second straight day, Norfolk won the first game, 2-1, and the Tides grabbed the victory in the second game, 6-5, in 13 innings. Combined, the two games on Thursday lasted 20 innings, and more than six hours passed from the first pitch of the day to the last. Over a two-day span, the Chiefs and Tides played 34 innings in 24 hours and 59 minutes.

Syracuse (41-62) took the lead in the first game in the top of the fourth inning against Norfolk starting pitcher Lucas Long. Alejandro De Aza led off with a walk. Irving Falu followed with a triple to right field that scored De Aza for a 1-0 Chiefs lead.

Norfolk (56-47) tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. Jefry Rodriguez held the Tides scoreless through the first five innings, but in the sixth, Rodriguez allowed a one-out single to Breyvic Valera and walked D.J. Stewart to put runners at first and second base. Valera moved to third base on a Pedro Alvarez fly out to center field. Josh Edgin then came in the game, and with Chance Sisco batting, a balk allowed Valera to score from third, knotting the game, 1-1.

The Tides won the first game in the seventh. Luis Sardiñas led off the frame with a walk-off home run over the left-field wall that gave Norfolk a 2-1 victory.

In the second game, neither team scored in the first seven innings, so the game went to extras. The Chiefs scored in the top of the eighth against Andrew Faulkner. Chris Dominguez started the inning at second base, per this year's new extra innings rule. Tuffy Gosewisch led off with a sacrifice bunt that moved Dominguez to third. The Tides then intentionally walked Bengie Gonzalez, placing runners at first and third. Andrew Stevenson followed with a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Dominguez and gave Syracuse a 1-0 lead.

Norfolk began the bottom of the eighth with Sisco at second base. Drew Dosch led off with a fly out to right field against Austin Adams, but Sisco tagged up and advanced to third base on the play. Garabez Rosa then grounded a ball sharply to shortstop where Gonzalez made an excellent defensive play for the Chiefs with the infield in, throwing out Rosa at first and preventing Sisco from scoring. Syracuse then intentionally walked Mike Yastrzemski, putting runners at the corners with two outs. Adrian Marin followed with a slow roller between the mound and third, finding a soft spot in the defense for an infield single that brought home Sisco, tying the game, 1-1.

The Chiefs scored in the tenth inning after neither team scored in the ninth. Drew Ward started the tenth at second base. Dominguez led off with a groundout to second base that moved Ward to third. Gosewisch followed with a single to left field off Donnie Hart, scoring Ward to put Syracuse up, 2-1.

The Tides tied the game in the bottom of the tenth. Dosch began the frame at second base. Rosa led off with a double to the center-field wall off Wander Suero that brought home Dosch to even the contest, 2-2.

Syracuse retook the lead in the top of the 11th. Stevenson began at second base, moved to third base on a De Aza groundout to second, and Stevenson scored on a Falu sacrifice fly to center field, putting the Chiefs in front, 3-2.

Norfolk began the bottom of the 11th with Cedric Mullins at second base. Valera flied out to right field, but Mullins advanced to third on the play. DJ Stewart followed with a single to right field against Trevor Gott, bringing home Mullins to tie the game again, 3-3.

The Chiefs went back up with a run in the top of the 12th, this time against Tim Melville. Yadiel Hernandez started at second base. On a Pedro Severino fly out to center field, Hernandez went to third. Two batters later, with Dominguez batting, a wild pitch allowed Hernandez to score and give the Chiefs a 4-3 advantage.

The Tides loaded the bases in the bottom of the 12th but only managed to tie the game again. Sisco started at second base for the second time in extra innings. Dosch led off with a double, scoring Sisco to tie the game, 4-4. Rosa followed with a single that put runners at first and third. Syracuse then intentionally walked Yastrzemski to load the bases. Marin followed by grounding into a 5-2-3 double play where Dosch was out at home and Marin was out at first. Gott proceeded to strike out Mullins to escape the jam and end the inning.

The joust continued with a Syracuse run in the top of the 13th. Gosewisch started at second base, moved to third on a Gonzalez sacrifice bunt, and scored on a Stevenson single to center field, giving the Chiefs a 5-4 lead.

Norfolk finally won the game in the bottom of the 13th. Mullins began the frame at second base. Valera led off and hit a fly ball to the right-field fence off Chris Smith, just clearing the leap of De Aza, and rattling off the wall. Valera came all the way around to post a two-run inside-the-park home run that gave the Tides a 6-5 walk-off win. The Valera run was the only earned run scored in the game.

Syracuse's starting pitchers were stellar in both games. Rodriguez allowed just one run in five and two-thirds innings pitched in game one while striking out five batters. Kyle McGowin made his first Triple-A start of the season in the second game of today's doubleheader. McGowin threw six scoreless innings with four strikeouts, no walks, and only three hits allowed.

The Chiefs now travel to Durham to begin a three-game series against the Durham Bulls on Friday night. RHP Brady Dragmire will be on the mound for the Chiefs. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Check out the Syracuse Mets Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



International League Stories from July 26, 2018


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central