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Ninth-Inning Home Runs Power Syracuse to 3-2 Walk-Off Win over Durham on Tuesday

August 20, 2024 - International League (IL)
Syracuse Mets News Release


DJ Stewart homers for the Syracuse Mets
DJ Stewart homers for the Syracuse Mets
(Syracuse Mets, Credit: Kylie Richelle)

Syracuse, NY - The Syracuse Mets found a little pixie dust on Tuesday night as a pair of solo home runs in the bottom of the ninth from Eddie Rosario and DJ Stewart powered Syracuse to a comeback, 3-2 win over the Durham Bulls on a chilly Tuesday night in the Salt City. The Mets now own a sparkling 36-21 record in their home games so far in the 2024 season.

Entering the bottom of the ninth inning, Syracuse (66-53, 20-25) trailed by one run, 2-1. Clinging to a one-run lead, Durham (57-64, 21-25) brought the hard-tossing Hunter Bigge out of the bullpen looking to earn the save. Instead, Bigge blew the save. First, Rosario led off the inning with a solo home run over the right-field fence to tie the game, 2-2, in the blink of an eye. Then, two batters later, Stewart lofted a fly ball that sailed just over the right-field wall for a game-winning solo shot that handed the Mets the 3-2 win. Syracuse finished the game with just four hits. Luckily, three of them were solo home runs and proved to be just enough in a thrilling, 3-2 win to begin the six-game series against the Durham.

The Mets got on the board first in the bottom of the third inning as Mike Brosseau's solo home run with one out put Syracuse in front, 1-0, early on.

That would be the last run that the Mets got off Joe Rock. Durham's starting pitcher was masterful in his seven-inning outing on Tuesday night. Rock allowed just one hit, the solo homer by Brosseau. Rock allowed just three baserunners in his seven innings of work, hitting one batter, walking one, and striking out seven. The left-hander finished with a flourish, retiring the final ten batters that he faced.

On the other side, Mets starter Dom Hamel battled through a five-inning start, surrendering two runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Both runs came home off of Hamel in the fourth inning. While Hamel did give up the pair of runs, he danced around further danger all night long. Hamel stranded seven Bulls runners on base in his five innings of work.

From there, the Mets bullpen kept them in the game. Dedniel Núñez tossed a scoreless relief inning on rehab in the sixth, Eric Orze worked one and two-thirds scoreless with three strikeouts, and then Alex Young tossed the last one and one-thirds innings in clean fashion as well. Syracuse's bullpen has been on a bit of a heater as of late. Dating back to Saturday's game, Mets relievers have not allowed an earned run in their last seven and one-third innings of work with 11 strikeouts.

That set the stage for a magical bottom of the ninth inning and Syracuse's walk-off win.

The Syracuse Mets are back home all week to take on the Durham Bulls for the first and only time in the 2024 season. Game two of the series against the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays is set for a 6:35 p.m. first pitch on Wednesday. Right-hander Brandon Sproat is slated to start for the Mets, opposed by left-hander Jacob Lopez for the Bulls.

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Images from this story

Mike Brosseau of the Syracuse Mets
Mike Brosseau of the Syracuse Mets
(Herm Card)		 DJ Stewart homers for the Syracuse Mets
DJ Stewart homers for the Syracuse Mets
(Kylie Richelle)		  

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