Mets four-game winning streak ends with 3-2 loss at IronPigs on Saturday night

Allentown, PA – The Syracuse Mets lost for the first time in nearly a week, falling 3-2 on Saturday night against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs at Coca-Cola Park. The Mets squandered multiple opportunities, going 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position while leaving nine runners on base in the game.

Syracuse (21-15) struck first in the top of the second inning with one swing of the bat. With one out and nobody on base, Luke Ritter crushed a home run over the center-field wall, giving the Mets a 1-0 lead. That home run was Ritter’s sixth of the season and carried 421 feet from home plate.

Lehigh Valley (13-22) responded in the bottom of the third. With one out, Jordan Luplow and Darick Hall both worked walks, placing runners at first and second base. Weston Wilson then struck out, but Esteban Quiroz followed with a walk to load the bases. Jim Haley then singled to left field, scoring both Luplow and Hall to give the IronPigs a 2-1 advantage.

Walks and extended counts on Lehigh Valley batters were an issue for Syracuse starting pitcher Dom Hamel. The 25-year-old went just two and two-thirds innings on the mound allowing two hits, five walks, and two runs while striking out four batters. Hamel threw 76 pitches, including 40 strikes.

After a couple scoreless innings, the Mets came back again, this time in the fifth. Joe Hudson led off the inning, and on the second pitch of the frame, Hudson crushed a ball over the center-field fence, knotting the game up, 2-2. That was Hudson’s first homer of the season.

Those would be the only runs the Syracuse offense managed off Lehigh Valley starter David Buchanan. On his 35th birthday, the right-hander pitched six and two-thirds innings, allowing seven hits and three walks but only two runs while collecting five strikeouts.

Meanwhile, the IronPigs scored the decisive run in the sixth. A single, fielder’s choice groundout, and a walk had Matt Kroon at second base and Cody Roberts at first with one out. David Dahl followed with a single to right field, scoring Kroon to put Lehigh Valley in front, 3-2.

The Mets had plenty of opportunities to tie the game late, but Syracuse left two runners on base in the seventh, two on base in the eighth, and had the tying run at second base in the ninth with one out but did not score.

Despite the loss Syracuse has still won four of the five games in the six-game series against Lehigh Valley. The series finale is Sunday with first pitch slated for 1:35 p.m.