Frankie Montas makes MLB rehab start for Syracuse but Mets fall to Bisons, 8-5, on Tuesday night

Syracuse, NY – Even after a four-run first inning, the Syracuse Mets didn't overcome a strong Buffalo Bisons’ offense in an 8-5 loss on a sunny Tuesday night at NBT Bank Stadium. Donovan Walton led the Syracuse offense with two walks and a three-run home run while starting pitcher Frankie Montas struck out three batters but allowed a career-high four home runs in a Major League rehab start for Syracuse.

Buffalo (23-33) got the scoring started early with a solo home run by Will Robertson in the top of the first inning to put the Bisons in front, 1-0.

Syracuse (27-31) swiftly retaliated with four runs in the bottom of the first, mainly due to Buffalo’s poor defense. The inning began with a throwing error by Buffalo starting pitcher CJ Van Eyk that put Gilberto Celestino at second base. The next batter, Drew Gilbert, hit an RBI single to center field to score Celestino and tie the game, 1-1. Soon after, Jon Singleton reached on an error by the third baseman Damiano Palmegiani. With two runners on, Donovan Walton crushed a three-run homer that propelled the Mets ahead, 4-1.

The Bisons scored three more runs in the third on a two-run homer by Robertson and a solo shot from Orelvis Martinez to tie the game, 4-4.

Buffalo tacked on two more in the fifth with back-to-back solo homers by the same pair of hitters and gave the Bisons a 6-4 lead.

The Mets got one more run back in the bottom of the sixth inning. Syracuse had runners on the corners with two outs when Luis De Los Santos hit a pop up over the pitchers’ mound that dropped between the infielders and scored Singleton from third to cut the deficit to one, 6-5.

That was the closest the Mets would come after conceding two runs in the top of the ninth and falling, 8-5.

In his first Triple-A rehab start, Frankie Montas pitched four innings plus faced one batter in the fifth and allowed four runs. Out of relief, Nolan McLean tossed four frames, allowed two earned runs, and struck out six batters. Montas threw 61 pitches, including 43 strikes.

Syracuse continues its six-game series with Buffalo on Wednesday night with game two. Right-hander Blade Tidwell is scheduled to pitch for the Mets opposite right-hander Lazaro Estrada for the Bisons. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.