Snyder's home run helps Chiefs past Bulls

The Syracuse Chiefs defeated the Durham Bulls, 5-4, on Tuesday night at NBT Bank Stadium. Brandon Snyder's two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth gave the Chiefs the lead for good, and Syracuse held on to snap a six-game losing streak. 
 
Durham (73-48) struck initially in the top of the first inning. Jake Bauers walked with two outs to give the Bulls its first runner. Johnny Field followed with a double off Jaron Long on a line drive to left-center. The ball barely missed the outstretch glove of Zach Collier, and Bauers came around from first to put the Bulls up 1-0.
 

Syracuse (46-76) responded in the bottom frame by jumping on top. Collier ripped a single to center to lead off the inning. Two batters later, Neftali Soto hit a double on a ground ball down the third-base line, moving Collier to third. Collier scored to tie the game on a Clint Robinson sacrifice fly to left. Soto moved to third on the play, and scored on a Brandon Snyder single to left, putting Syracuse up 2-1.
 
The Bulls wasted no time knotting things up. Curt Casali walked and Taylor Featherston singled to lead off the frame. After a flyout, Jake Hager reached on an infield single to third. With the bases loaded, Casali scored on a force out at second, tying the game 2-2.
 
In the bottom of the second, Syracuse scored again thanks to the hot bat of Michael Almanzar. The Chiefs third-baseman smacked a double down the left-field line to lead off the frame, his 22nd hit over his last 25 games. Almanzar took third on a wild pitch from Chirinos. Almanzar scored on Bengie González's groundout to second, giving the Chiefs a 3-2 lead. 
 
Both teams homered in the fifth inning. The Bulls tied the game on a solo home run from Willy Adames in the top of the fifth. With two outs and a 2-0 count, Adames pummeled his eighth homer of the year over the right-center field fence. 
 
In the subsequent half-inning, Soto walked with one out. Two batters later, Snyder stepped up to the plate with the game tied. Snyder blasted a fastball to left-center field. The ball cleared 390-mark in left-center to put the Chiefs up 5-3.
 
The Bulls inched closer in the top of the eighth on another home run. With one out, Jake Bauers hit a home run on a first pitch off Shawn Kelley, who was on Major League Rehab, trimming the lead to one. 
 
Durham started a rally in the ninth. Casali and Hager both singled, but Wander Suero got Wong to line out to third to end the game. It was his ninth save of the year. His scoreless streak extended to 14 innings with the outing.
 
The Chiefs return to action Wednesday night at 6:35 p.m. against the Bulls. Jacob Turner is scheduled to pitch for Syracuse. Durham has not announced its starter.