IL Syracuse Mets

Newcomers Shine, But Mets Fall to IronPigs, 9-8, in Ten Innings

Published on August 31, 2023 under International League (IL)
Syracuse Mets News Release


Allentown, PA - Jaylen Palmer and Chase Estep both had go-ahead, two-run doubles in their Triple-A debuts with Syracuse, but the Syracuse Mets fell to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 9-8, in ten innings on Thursday night at Coca-Cola Park. The loss is Syracuse's tenth walk-off loss this season, and the Mets are now 8-11 in extra-inning games this year.

Syracuse (52-74, 19-33) trailed, 4-3, going to the top of the eighth inning. Nick Meyer led off with a walk, and after Carlos Cortes struck out, Brandon McIlwain walked to put two runners on base. A wild pitch moved Meyer to third base and Cortes to second. After Michael Perez struck out, Joe Suozzi came to the plate and legged out an infield single, allowing Meyer to score and tie the game up, 4-4. Estep followed with a two-run double to the right-field wall that put the Mets in front, 6-4. Then, Daniel Palka collected a pinch-hit, RBI single to left field, scoring Estep to give Syracuse a three-run lead, 7-4.

Lehigh Valley (68-59, 32-22) erased Syracuse's lead in the bottom of the eighth. Darick Hall walked, Dustin Peterson singled, and Simon Muzziotti singled to begin the frame against Mets reliever William Woods, loading the bases. Woods struck out Ellis, but Esteban Quiroz singled, scoring Hall and Peterson to pull the IronPigs within one, 7-6. Rafael Marchan singled to reload the bases, and Cal Stevenson worked a bases-loaded walk to bring home Muzziotti from third and knot the game up, 7-7. Eric Orze then came out of the bullpen for Syracuse and got the next two outs without allowing a run to score, keeping the game tied.

After neither team scored in the ninth, the Mets regained the lead in the top of the tenth. McIlwain started as Syracuse's free runner at second base in extras. Perez grounded out to second base, but McIlwain moved to third base on the play. Then Suozzi grounded out to shortstop, allowing McIlwain to score and give Syracuse an 8-7 edge.

The IronPigs came back and won the game in quick order in the bottom of the tenth with Tyler Jay making his Mets debut on the mound out of the bullpen. Muzziotti started at second base as Lehigh Valley's free runner and scored on a leadoff single from Ellis, tying the game back up, 8-8. Aramis Garcia followed with a pinch-hit single to right field, advancing Ellis to third base. Then, Rafael Marchan looped a single into left-center field, scoring Ellis for the 9-8 Lehigh Valley walk-off victory.

The IronPigs scored the game's first run in the bottom of the first. Kody Clemens led off with a triple off the wall in right-center field. Weston Wilson followed with an RBI groundout, scoring Clemens for a 1-0 Lehigh Valley lead.

That was the only run allowed by Syracuse starting pitcher José Chacin. After the triple, Chacin retired ten batters in a row and 15 of the last 17 batters he faced. The 26-year-old finished with five innings of three-hit, one-run baseball with no walks and four strikeouts.

Syracuse took its first lead of the game in the fourth. Cortes singled, McIlwain walked, and Perez singled to load the bases. Two batters later, Estep worked a walk to bring home Cortes and tie the game, 1-1. After a Mateo Gil strikeout, Palmer came to the plate and picked up his first Triple-A hit with a two-run double to the left-field wall, scoring McIlwain and Perez to give the Mets a 3-1 lead.

Lehigh Valley, true to form, struck back in the sixth. With one out, Wilson homered to left-center field to make it a 3-2 ballgame. The home run is Wilson's team-leading 27th long ball of the season. Hall then walked, and Peterson singled. A wild pitch moved Hall to third and Peterson to second, setting the table for Muzziottti who singled home both Hall and Peterson to give the IronPigs a 4-3 advantage. That set the stage for the drama-filled final innings and eventual Lehigh Valley walk-off win.

The Mets and IronPigs continue their six-game series on Friday night with game four of the series. Right-hander Mike Vasil is slated to start on the mound for Syracuse opposite right-hander Shaun Anderson for Lehigh Valley. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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International League Stories from August 31, 2023


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