IL Syracuse Mets

Syracuse Drops Wild Series Finale to Buffalo, 10-9, in Ten Innings on Sunday Afternoon

July 23, 2023 - International League (IL)
Syracuse Mets News Release


Luke Voit of the Syracuse Mets
Luke Voit of the Syracuse Mets
(Syracuse Mets, Credit: Herm Card)

Syracuse, NY - The Buffalo Bisons and Syracuse Mets wrapped up an exhilarating week of ballgames as only they could, playing yet another tight game on Sunday afternoon. The Bisons eeked out a 10-9 win over the Mets in ten innings on a warm afternoon at NBT Bank Stadium, taking the six-game series by a four games to two count. The final five games of the series were decided by two runs or less and three of those games were decided by just one run.

After the first three innings were scoreless, Buffalo (46-49, 12-8) roared out ahead with five runs in the top of the fourth. The Bisons tagged Tylor Megill for the five runs on three hits, highlighted by a grand slam from Rafael Lantigua that completed the five-run flurry. Megil was pulled after the grand slam from Lantigua. Megill's final line was three and one-third innings, allowing the five earned runs on six hits with three walks. Buffalo scored first in each of the six games this week.

Syracuse (39-55, 6-14), fresh off its dramatic ninth-inning comeback on Saturday night, answered back with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. The Mets did it via the long ball. First, Tomas Nido homered leading off the frame to turn it into a 5-1 game. Then, later on in the inning with two on base and one out, Abraham Almonte launched a line-drive laser beam over the right-field wall for a three-run shot, cutting the deficit to one, 5-4. Almonte now has nine homers in 16 Triple-A games this season.

The teams began trading runs from then on. In the top of the sixth, a Stevie Berman solo homer made it a 6-4 game in favor of Buffalo.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Mets knotted it up for the first time with a pair of runs to make it a 6-6 game. After Carlos Cortes reached on an error and advanced to second on a Nick Meyer bunt single, Nido singled home Cortes to make it 6-5. A walk to Rafael Ortega loaded up the bases with nobody out and Syracuse down by just a run, but after a Ronny Mauricio fly out it appeared the Mets may not take advantage of the golden opportunity untul Luke Voit walked with the bases loaded to plate Meyer and tie the game up, 6-6.

In the seventh, Buffalo scored yet again and took the lead yet again with a lone run to make it 7-6. Addison Barger walked to start the inning, moved to third on a Spencer Horwitz single, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Orlevis Martinez for a 7-6 Buffalo lead. Barger's walk and run scored in the seventh inning ensured that every single Bisons batter reached base at least once in the ballgame.

It remained a 7-6 game into the bottom of the eighth when the Mets sprinkled some pixie dust yet again on a late inning. Nido walked to start the inning and was promptly lifted for a pinch-runner (Branden Fryman), who moved to second base on a one-out single from Mauricio. That brought Voit to the plate, and he brought the house down. The hulking slugger pounded a go-ahead, three-run shot over the right-field fence to make it a 9-7 game and give Syracuse the lead for the first time on the afternoon.

That lead didn't last in the top of the ninth as the Bisons rallied back and extended the game. With a runner on base and two outs, Davis Schneider crushed a two-run blast over the center-field fence that tied the game, 9-9. Schneider, noted for his power at the plate, hit two home runs in this week's series. Buffalo hit three home runs in Sunday's game and ten dingers in the six-game series.

It remained tied at nine into the top of the tenth when the Bisons took the lead by pushing across the free runner at second base. Orelvis Martinez started the frame on second and promptly scored when Tanner Morris, a pinch-hitter, singled him home to make it a 10-9 game.

Buffalo wouldn't score again in the top of the tenth, but the Bisons wouldn't need to score again to win the contest. The Mets went down in order in the bottom of the tenth to ensure the Bisons would win the six-game series. An old problem reared its ugly head in Sunday afternoon's game as Syracuse left 11 runners on base. The Mets left at least six runners on base in five of the games this week. Syracuse also left 13 runners on base in Saturday evening's contest.

After a nine-game homestand, Syracuse now hits the road all next week for six games against the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The first game of the series is slated for a special 11 a.m. start time on Tuesday morning. Right-hander Denyi Reyes is scheduled to start for the Mets.

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Luke Voit of the Syracuse Mets
Luke Voit of the Syracuse Mets
(Herm Card)		   



International League Stories from July 23, 2023


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