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Voit Becomes First Syracuse Player to Homer in Six Straight Games, Mets Sweep Doubleheader Against IronPigs on Friday

July 28, 2023 - International League (IL)
Syracuse Mets News Release


Syracuse Mets' Luke Voit at bat
Syracuse Mets' Luke Voit at bat
(Syracuse Mets, Credit: Herm Card)

Allentown, PA - Luke Voit became the first Syracuse player since at least 1961 to homer in six consecutive games as the Syracuse Mets swept a doubleheader against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Friday night. The first game was a completion of Thursday's suspended game, and Syracuse won, 9-6. Then, the Mets beat the IronPigs, 6-3, in the second game on Friday.

Friday started with the resumption of Thursday's suspended game that was tied, 2-2, in the top of the fifth inning. Syracuse (42-56, 9-15) had the bases with no outs, and took advantage of the situation on Friday. The Mets scored two runs without a hit, picking up a bases-loaded walk and a hit by pitch with the bases loaded to take a 4-2 lead.

Syracuse added to its lead in the top of the sixth. With two outs and runners on second and third base, Abraham Almonte hit a three-run home run to put the Mets in front 7-2.

Lehigh Valley (50-47, 14-10) made a comeback though. In the bottom of the sixth, with two outs and a runner at second, Dustin Peterson singled to bring home a run and make it a 7-3 ballgame. Scott Kingery followed with a double that scored Peterson to pull the IronPigs within three, 7-4. After Simon Muzziotti walked, Weston Wilson singled home Kingery, slicing the deficit to two, 7-5. With Darick Hall batting, Muzziotti at third, and Wilson at first, Wilson stole second, and Muzziotti stole home to score a run, complete a four-run frame, and bring Lehigh Valley within one, 7-6. Hall lined out to center field to end the inning.

The Mets got breathing room in the eighth. Ronny Mauricio and Like Voit both singled, putting runners at first and third. Almonte hit a sac fly to bring home Mauricio for an 8-6 Syracuse edge. Later in the inning, Nick Meyer plated Voit with a two-out single to give the Mets a 9-6 advantage.

The Syracuse lead held with excellent relief pitching from Nate Lavender and Dennis Santana, who combined to throw the final three and one-third innings scoreless with six strikeouts to secure the win.

Game two began as a pitchers' duel, scoreless through three innings until Syracuse struck in the fourth. Mauricio led off with a walk, bringing Voit to the plate. Voit proceeded to crush a ball over the wall just to the right of center field for a home run and a 2-0 Mets lead. The homer marked Voit's sixth straight game with a home run, making Voit the first Syracuse player since at least 1961 to homer in six consecutive games.

Lehigh Valley got a run back in the fifth on a solo homer form Jim Haley to begin the inning, but Syracuse struck right back.

The Mets scored twice in the top of the sixth inning both with two outs. First, with runners at first and third, Tomás Nido singled home a run for a 3-1 Syracuse edge. Then, two batters later, Rafael Ortega collected an RBI single for a 4-1 Mets advantage.

The IronPigs were stubborn though. In the bottom of the sixth, Lehigh Valley loaded the bases. Cal Stevenson proceeded to work a bases-loaded walk to make it a 4-2 game. Then Haley popped out to shallow right field, and a Mets throwing error allowed a run to score to pull the IronPigs back within one, 4-3. Kingery flied out to center field, though, and the Mets kept the lead.

Syracuse scored insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Voit led off the frame with a double, and Almonte followed with a mammoth, two-run home run over the wall in right-center field to extend the Syracuse lead to three, 6-3. In 20 games this season, Almonte has 19 hits, and 11 of those hits are home runs.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Mets reliever Sean Reid-Foley pitched a 1-2-3 inning to earn the save and secure Syracuse's 6-3 win for the doubleheader sweep.

The Mets have won three of the first four games of the six-game series against the IronPigs. The penultimate game of the series is Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Right-hander Tylor Megill is slated to start on the mound for Syracuse opposite Lehigh Valley right-hander T.J. Zeuch.

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Images from this story

Syracuse Mets' Luke Voit at bat
Syracuse Mets' Luke Voit at bat
(Herm Card)		   



International League Stories from July 28, 2023


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