Syracuse Comes from Behind for 8-7 Walk-Off Win over Lehigh Valley on Friday Night

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Syracuse Comes from Behind for 8-7 Walk-Off Win over Lehigh Valley on Friday Night

July 11, 2025 - International League (IL)
Syracuse Mets News Release


Syracuse Mets celebrate a Yonny Hernandez walk-off hit
Syracuse Mets celebrate a Yonny Hernandez walk-off hit
(Syracuse Mets, Credit: Kylie Richelle)

Syracuse, NY - For the second time in the last three nights, the Syracuse Mets walked off the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 8-7, in ten innings on Friday night at NBT Bank Stadium. Syracuse came back from two runs down three separate times and from a one-run deficit in the tenth to win.

After a scoreless ninth inning, the Mets and IronPigs went to extra-innings, tied 6-6. In the top of the tenth, Payton Henry started at second base as Lehigh Valley's free runner that teams get in extra innings. Henry moved to third base on a Cal Stevenson single and then scored on a Castro infield single, putting Lehigh Valley ahead, 7-6. With runners on the corners and one out, Kroon hit a ground ball to the shortstop Pablo Reyes that could've scored a run, but a 6-4-3 double play ended the inning and gave the Mets a better opportunity in the bottom of the tenth.

Drew Gilbert began the bottom of the tenth as the Syracuse's free runner at second base. Gilbert tagged up and moved to third base on a David Villar fly out to the center-field wall. Luke Ritter then singled into center field, scoring Gilbert to tie the game up, 7-7. Jakson Reetz followed with a single that put runners at first and second base with one out. Yonny Hernandez came to the plate and ended the game with a double down the left-field line, scoring Ritter for Syracuse's 8-7 walk-off win.

After a quiet first two frames, Lehigh Valley (53-36, 7-8) struck first, scoring in the top of the third inning. A trio of walks led off the inning, and Rafael Lantigua grounded out, scoring Rodolfo Castro to put the IronPigs in front, 1-0. With runners at second and third, Weston Wilson grounded a ball to third, Luke Ritter committed a fielding error, and Matt Kroon scored to give Lehigh Valley a 2-0 lead.

Syracuse (43-48, 12-4) was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning, when their most powerful bat came alive. Francisco Alvarez crushed a solo home run to right-center field, cutting the deficit to one, 2-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Mets tied it up. Ritter led off with a single, Reetz doubled, and Jose Azocar ripped an RBI single to score Ritter, knotting the score at 2-2. Ritter and Reetz both had three hits in the game.

The tie remained until the top of the seventh when Castro and Kroon hit solo homers to give the IronPigs a 4-2 advantage.

The Mets responded quickly in the bottom of the seventh inning. After Reetz doubled, Hernandez was hit by a pitch, and Gilberto Celestino walked to load the bases. With two outs and three runners on, Alvarez was hit by a pitch, making it a 4-3 game. The next batter, Pablo Reyes, was also hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, tying the game, 4-4.

Next, the pendulum swung towards Lehigh Valley when Oscar Mercado hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth, giving the IronPigs a 6-4 lead.

Syracuse continued to battle back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. David Villar was hit by a pitch, Ritter singled, and Azocar smacked a two-run double that tied the game, 6-6.

Syracuse continues its six-game series with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

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Images from this story

Syracuse Mets celebrate a Yonny Hernandez walk-off hit
Syracuse Mets celebrate a Yonny Hernandez walk-off hit
(Kylie Richelle)		   



International League Stories from July 11, 2025


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