IL Syracuse Mets

Syracuse Beats Buffalo, 8-7, on Saturday Night for Tenth Walk-Off Win of Season

August 26, 2023 - International League (IL)
Syracuse Mets News Release


Syracuse Mets' Joe Suozzi at bat
Syracuse Mets' Joe Suozzi at bat
(Syracuse Mets, Credit: Herm Card)

Syracuse, NY - The Syracuse Mets, playing once again as the Syracuse Salt Potatoes, won another game on a walk-off hit, beating the Buffalo Bisons, 8-7, on Saturday night at NBT Bank Stadium in front of an electric crowd of 6,622. This is Syracuse's tenth walk-off win of the season, the third walk-off win in five games, and the second consecutive game with a walk-off hit.

Syracuse (52-70, 19-29) trailed, 7-5, going to the bottom of the eighth inning. With one out in the frame, Ronny Mauricio hit a ball down the right-field line that cleared the wall for a home run that trimmed the deficit to one, 7-6. The homer is Mauricio's 22nd of the season.

The Salt Potatoes then sent the crowd home happy in the bottom of the ninth. Tomás Nido led off with a single, and Brandon McIlwain walked to put runners at first and second base. Joe Suozzi followed with a triple to the wall in left-center field that scored both Nido and McIlwain to give Syracuse an 8-7 walk-off win over Buffalo. Suozzi is the tenth different Syracuse player to have a walk-off hit this season.

Buffalo (60-63, 26-22) scored the game's first run in the top of the first inning. With runners at first and third and one out, Ernie Clement grounded out to third, but Nathan Lukes scored from third on the play for a 1-0 Bisons lead.

That was the only run Syracuse starting pitcher Mike Vasil allowed. The 23-year-old pitched six innings with four hits allowed. Three of the four hits were infield singles.

Meanwhile, Syracuse tied the game in the second. With one out, McIlwain doubled. Suozzi followed with a ground-rule double to right-center field, scoring McIlwain and knotting the game up, 1-1.

The Salt Potatoes took their first lead in the third. Wyatt Young led off with a double. After Mauricio and Brett Baty were retired, Carlos Cortes walked. Nido then collected an RBI single that scored Young from second base for a 2-1 Syracuse lead. McIlwain followed with his second double, scoring Cortes to give the Salt Potatoes a 3-1 advantage.

Syracuse extended its lead in the fifth. Mauricio led off with a double, and Baty followed with an opposite field, two-run homer over the wall in left-center field that gave the Salt Potatoes a 5-1 edge.

Buffalo erased Syracuse's lead in the seventh. With one out, Lukes singled, and Rafael Lantigua walked. Spencer Horwitz then singled to score Lukes to make it a 5-2 ballgame. Ernie Clement followed with a single to right field that scored Lantigua to cut the Syracuse lead to two, 5-3, but Clement was thrown out between first and second base for the second out of the inning. Horwitz moved to third on the play and scored when Orelvis Martinez doubled to make it a 5-4 game. Then, Tanner Morris hit a go-ahead, two-run home run over the right-field wall to complete the comeback and give Buffalo a 6-5 lead.

The Bisons added to their lead in the eighth. With one out, Cameron Eden reached on an error. Eden then stole second and scored on a Lantigua single, giving Buffalo a 7-5 advantage, setting up Syracuse's late comeback and walk-off.

Syracuse and Buffalo conclude their six-game series on Sunday afternoon. Right-hander José Butto is slated to start on the mound for Syracuse opposite Buffalo right-hander Wes Parsons. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. on Sunday.

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Syracuse Mets' Joe Suozzi at bat
Syracuse Mets' Joe Suozzi at bat
(Herm Card)		   



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