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Syracuse Emphatically Wins Pivotal Series Opener at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, 12-1, on Tuesday Night

May 21, 2024 - International League (IL)
Syracuse Mets News Release


Moosic, PA - The Syracuse Mets began their über-important series at the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in remarkable fashion, scoring early and often on their way to a 12-1 win on a muggy May evening just outside of the Electric City. The Mets entered the week just 1.5 games back of the RailRiders, who were tied with Omaha at the top of the International League standings at the start of action on Tuesday night. Syracuse has now won 11 of its last 13 games.

Syracuse (28-16) got to the RailRiders in the top of the first inning, quickly plating a run to take a 1-0 lead. Like usual, it was Luisangel Acuña who kickstarted the rally for the Mets. The 22-year-old was hit by a pitch to reach base to start the game, stole his way to second, advanced to third on a José Iglesias single and scored on a Rylan Bannon groundout.

In the second, Acuña was in the middle of more Mets runs coming across home plate. After a Mike Brosseau walk and a Rhylan Thomas single followed by a Hayden Senger groundout that advanced each man up 90 feet, Acuña chopped a single into left field to plate Brosseau and make it a 2-0 game. That was followed by an Iglesias single that scored Thomas for a 3-0 advantage. Then, a mammoth Bannon three-run homer capped off the inning's scoring at five runs. The Bannon blast traveled an estimated 442 feet over the center-field fence to give Syracuse a 6-0 lead. The 28-year-old has now driven in nine combined runs in the last three games.

Syracuse wasn't done scoring. The Mets extended their lead with a three-run homer from Luke Ritter in the fourth and a sacrifice fly from Acuña in the fifth to make it a 10-0 lead halfway through the game. Tuesday night's multi-RBI performance from Acuña was his third game this season with two or more runs driven in. Ritter also now has seven home runs this season to go along with an OPS above .850.

The Mets finished their offensive output in the game via their familiar friend, the big fly. Jiman Choi crushed a 440-foot, two-run homer in the top of the sixth, his third of the season and Syracuse's third home run of the game. The Mets finished the game with 12 runs on nine hits while also drawing nine walks. By the end of the game, eight of their nine starters scored runs and six different batters had at least one hit.

It would've only taken two runs for the Mets to win on Tuesday night, as their pitching staff kept Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (29-16) completely confused all night long. José Butto was brilliant in his return to the Triple-A level, throwing six scoreless innings on just two hits with no walks and seven strikeouts. Butto had not started for Syracuse since March 30th because he made seven appearances for the New York Mets since that time. From there, Scranton native Max Kranick tossed two scoreless innings in his return home. and Jon Duplantier worked the ninth to cap off the victory. The RailRiders did get a run in the top of the ninth, spoiling Syracuse's chance for a shutout win. It would have been Syracuse's third shutout win of the season.

Syracuse is on the road all week for a pivotal series at the first place Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. The second game of the weeklong, six-game series is set for 11:05 a.m. on Wednesday morning. It's scheduled to be a starting pitching matchup of dueling lefties. Joey Lucchesi is slated to go for the Mets, opposed by Edgar Barclay for the RailRiders.

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International League Stories from May 21, 2024


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