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IL Syracuse Mets

Ritter Homers Twice, Syracuse Beats Lehigh Valley, 7-3, on Friday Night

June 14, 2024 - International League (IL)
Syracuse Mets News Release


Syracuse Mets' Luke Ritter at bat
Syracuse Mets' Luke Ritter at bat
(Syracuse Mets, Credit: Kylie Richelle)

Syracuse, NY - Luke Ritter hit two home runs on Friday night as the Syracuse Mets beat the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 7-3, at NBT Bank Stadium. The Mets have now won three of the first four games in the six-game series against the IronPigs this week.

Syracuse (41-25) got on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Luisangel Acuña led off with a double. After Rylan Bannon struck out, Acuña stole third base and scored on a Brett Baty sacrifice fly out to center field to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. Ritter followed with a home run over the left-field wall to make it a 2-0 ballgame.

The Mets added to the advantage in the second. With one out, Rhylan Thomas launched a ball over the right-field wall for a homer to give Syracuse a 3-0 edge. The home run is Thomas's first of the season at any level and his first Triple-A home run.

Lehigh Valley (28-37) got a run in the top of the fourth. With one out, Buddy Kennedy doubled, and Jordan Luplow walked. Two batters later, with two outs, Matt Kroon singled home Kennedy to trim the deficit to two, 3-1.

Syracuse responded in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Thomas doubled. Yolmer Sanchez followed with a double down the left-field line, scoring Thomas to regain a three-run lead, 4-1.

The Mets broke the game wide open in the fifth. With one out, Bannon and Baty both singled to put runners at first and second. Ritter followed with a three-run, opposite field home run to right field, pushing the Syracuse lead to six, 7-1. Ritter has now hit 14 home runs this season and leads the Mets with 48 RBIs.

Lehigh Valley got a two-run homer in the eighth from Aramis Garcia to make it a 7-3 ballgame, but that is as close as the IronPigs got.

The Syracuse pitching staff was marvelous again. José Butto pitched five and two-thirds innings of one-run baseball with four strikeouts. Then, Yacksel Ríos got the final out of the sixth, Josh Walker pitched a 1-2-3 seventh, and Max Kranick pitched the eighth and ninth innings, allowing the two-run home run in the eighth while also striking out four batters.

The Mets and IronPigs continued their six-game series on Saturday with the fifth game. Left-hander Joey Lucchesi is slated to start on the mound for Syracuse opposite Lehigh Valley right-hander Tyler Phillips. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

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Images from this story

Syracuse Mets' Luke Ritter at bat
Syracuse Mets' Luke Ritter at bat
(Kylie Richelle)		   

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