IL1 Syracuse Mets

Late IronPigs Rally Dooms Chiefs

Published on May 5, 2012 under International League (IL1)
Syracuse Mets News Release


The Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, blew a 1-0 seventh-inning lead in a 4-1 loss to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Saturday night. Corey Brown's first-inning home run gave Syracuse a lead it would hold until the bottom of the seventh, when the IronPigs scored four runs on three hits, three walks, and one error.

On the second pitch of the game, Brown vaulted Syracuse (10-19) into the run column. He slammed a pitch from right-hander Tyler Cloyd over the left-center field wall for a solo home run, Brown's fourth long ball of the season. Those four homers are the most for any Syracuse player, with Tyler Moore's seven as the overall team benchmark.

The Chiefs kept their 1-0 lead for most of the game with starter Yunesky Maya dealing a gem. The Cuban right-hander allowed just four hits through the first six innings without walking a batter, despite no strikeouts.

But Lehigh Valley (16-12) exploded in the seventh inning for four runs in unconventional fashion. Cody Overbeck led off the inning with a routine ground ball to third base, but Carlos Rivero threw the ball over Mark Teahen's head at first base and into the stands for a two-base error. John Suomi then singled to center field, moving Overbeck to third. On the next pitch, Derrick Mitchell hit a ground ball off of Rivero's glove at third base for an infield single, tying the game at 1. After the pitch, Rivero then went to the mound to talk to Maya without calling time, and Suomi ran to an unguarded third base for a steal, putting runners on the corners.

Manager Tony Beasley then removed Maya in a double switch, with Atahualpa Severino coming on to pitch. Severino recorded an out on his first pitch when Rich Thompson bunted Mitchell to second base, with Suomi holding at third. After an intentional walk to Andres Blanco, pinch-hitter Hector Luna strode to the plate. Severino worked the count to 0-2 before Luna lined a single past Rivero at third base, giving the IronPigs a 2-1 lead. A wild pitch scored Mitchell from third base with the third run, and a Mike Fontenot bases-loaded walk three batters later gave Lehigh Valley its fourth and final run of the inning. Pat Lehman came in after the walk to relieve Severino and record the final out.

The Chiefs were subsequently shut down in the eighth and ninth innings by left-hander Jake Diekman, who earned his fifth save of the season.

Syracuse will close out its two-game series with Lehigh Valley on Sunday afternoon at 1:35. Chiefs left-hander John Lannan and IronPigs right-hander Scott Elarton are the scheduled starters.

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