Syracuse Walks off in Wild 13-Inning Battle
July 31, 2018 - International League (IL1)
Pawtucket Red Sox News Release
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - A back-and-forth, extra-innings battle that ended with a shortstop and a right fielder as the winning and losing pitchers concluded in heartbreaking fashion for the Pawtucket Red Sox, who fell to the Syracuse Chiefs, 11-10, in 13 innings Monday night at NBT Bank Stadium.
In their longest game of the season by both innings (13) and time (4:47), the PawSox (48-57) dropped the opener of the four-game series with the Nationals-affiliated Chiefs (44-63). Pawtucket scored six runs in the second inning and constructed a 7-0 lead by the third, but Syracuse chiseled away at the margin and eventually tied the game, 7-7, with three runs in the bottom of the eighth.
Pawtucket scored in the top of the 10th, only for Syracuse to score and force an 11th inning. The PawSox scored two in the top of the 12th, only for the Chiefs to plate a pair of their own and head on to the 13th. In the top of the 13th, Syracuse shortstop Bengie Gonzalez threw a 1-2-3 frame, stranding Pawtucket's automatic baserunner at second. Gonzalez then led off the bottom of the 13th and, on the very first pitch from Pawtucket right-fielder-turned-reliever Cole Sturgeon, rolled a ball to short, where the PawSox tried to throw out the automatic baserunner at third. However, a throwing error allowed Syracuse to score and win in walk-off fashion. The PawSox have lost on walk-offs in five of their last seven road games.
PawSox second baseman Brandon Phillips (3-for-6, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB) reached base four times and played all 13 innings. Center fielder Rusney Castillo (2-for-7, R, HR, 3 RBI) added to his International League-leading hit total, and left fielder Sam Travis (3-for-7, 2 R, 2B), third baseman Iván De Jesús Jr. (2-for-7, R, 2B) and Sturgeon (2-for-6, 2 R, 2 RBI) added multi-hit efforts as well.
Pawtucket starter Justin Haley tossed 5.2 innings of three-run work. Since-traded reliever Williams Jerez punched out two of the three batters he faced but was lifted suddenly in the bottom of the seventh. Trevor Kelley and Fernando Rodriguez Jr. both escaped jams in the late innings, and Sturgeon (L, 0-1) - a two-way player at Louisville - threw one pitch in his second professional pitching appearance.
Syracuse starter Austin Voth got roughed up for seven runs on 11 hits in five innings, but Gonzalez (W, 1-0) earned the victory as the seventh Chiefs pitcher of the night.
Pawtucket exploded in the top of the second inning, sending all nine batters to the plate. Sturgeon sliced an RBI single to left-center field to start the scoring, and, two batters later, leadoff man Aneury Tavarez delivered a two-out RBI single up the middle to make it 2-0. Phillips then tagged a two-run double off the left-field wall before Castillo rocketed a two-run, opposite-field homer to right to extend the gap to 6-0.
Pawtucket made it 7-0 in the top of the third when Sturgeon stung an RBI single off Voth's foot.
Syracuse scored lone runs in each of the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings and then tied the game, 7-7, with three runs in the bottom of the eighth.
The PawSox climbed ahead, 8-7, on a swinging bunt trickled in front of the plate by catcher Oscar Hernández, as Tony Renda dove headfirst safely at the plate ahead of the flip.
In the home half of the 10th, Syracuse tied the game, 8-8, with two outs on a fluke play in which Hernández tried to block a ball in the dirt, but it got lodged in his chest protector. By rule, the ball is dead and the runners advance a base, so Victor Robles scored from third.
Two innings later, Castillo supplied a go-ahead RBI single to center, and designated hitter Adam Lind lifted a sacrifice fly to make it 10-8.
Syracuse, though, countered with a sac fly and RBI double to tie the game.
Then in the 13th, Pawtucket's error set off a Syracuse celebration.
The PawSox continue their four-game series against Syracuse on Tuesday at NBT Bank Stadium at 6:35 p.m. Pawtucket right-hander Josh A. Smith (2-3, 4.64) is scheduled to oppose Syracuse righty Jefry Rodriguez (0-2, 5.66). Radio coverage on WHJJ (920 AM and 104.7 FM) and throughout the PawSox Radio Network begins with the pre-game show at 6:05 p.m.
The PawSox return home Friday-Sunday (August 3-5) to host the Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota Twins). Good tickets are available, and fans can visit the McCoy Stadium box office, which is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m., and during all home games. Fans can also call (401) 724-7300 or log on to PawSox.com for tickets.
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