IL1 Syracuse Mets

Walkoff Homer Beats Chiefs, 5-2

May 20, 2012 - International League (IL1)
Syracuse Mets News Release


The Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, blew a ninth-inning lead in a 5-2 loss to the Toledo Mud Hens on Sunday afternoon. With two runners on and two outs in a 2-2 tie, pinch-hitter Brad Eldred slammed a three-run home run against Josh Wilkie to end the game, handing the Chiefs their first loss in a game they led after eight innings this season. The home run was Eldred's league-leading 17th of the season.

After Pat Lehman and Cory VanAllen combined to work a shutout eighth inning, Wilkie entered to try and earn the save in the ninth. Justin Henry led off the inning with a single to left field, but Wilkie retired the next two hitters. However, Danny Worth followed with a single to put two runners on. Right fielder Matt Young then lined Wilkie's next pitch into center field, tying the game and setting the stage for Eldred's heroics.

Sunday's game was a low-scoring affair throughout, but Syracuse (20-24) cracked the scoreboard almost immediately thanks to Corey Brown. With left-hander Casey Crosby on the hill, Brown blasted a 1-1 pitch into the right field seats to lead off the game, giving the Chiefs a 1-0 lead on the center fielder's eighth home run of the season.

Meanwhile, Syracuse right-hander Yunesky Maya retired the first ten batters of the game before running into a bit of trouble in the fourth inning. Henry bounced a single up the middle with one out and stole second base a few pitches later. After a groundout, designated hitter Eric Patterson lined a single to center field, scoring Henry to give Toledo (23-21) its first run and tie the score.

The Chiefs were held scoreless from Brown's home run until the seventh inning by Crosby, but the left-hander finally relented. Teahen led off the frame with a blooper down the left field line that turned into a leadoff double, and Xavier Paul's ensuing sacrifice bunt moved Teahen to third. Carroll then fell behind 1-2 in the count before hitting a fly ball to left field, and Teahen beat Jeff Frazier's throw home to put Syracuse in the lead.

Maya answered with a scoreless seventh, finishing off another brilliant performance. He allowed just two hits and two walks, recording 14 total groundouts in seven innings of work. The Cuban right-hander lowered his ERA to a team-best 2.57 despite the loss.

The Chiefs will look to gain their second win of the series against Toledo on Monday morning at 10:30. Right-hander Tanner Roark is the scheduled starter for Syracuse, with right-hander Thad Weber slated to throw for the Mud Hens.

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