Bisons drop back-and-forth affair to Syracuse

SYRACUSE, NY — In the fourth game of this six-game series, the Buffalo Bisons fell to the Syracuse Mets 6-5 on Thursday night from NBT Bank Stadium after trading leads all night long.

Bowden Francis made the start for the Herd and threw three solid innings, allowing just one unearned run while walking one and striking out three.

Syracuse starter Connor Grey kept the bats quiet through the first four innings, but gave up a pair of runs in the fifth which gave the Herd their first lead of the night. Rafael Lantigua hit his first career Triple-A home run, before Otto López beat out an infield single which allowed Colton Shaver to score from third.

The lead was short-lived, however, as the Mets tagged Mike Ellenbest for three runs in the bottom half off a two-run double by Mark Vientos, followed by an RBI single by Travis Blankenhorn to retake the lead.

The Bisons then retook the lead once more in the seventh when Vinny Capra hit a massive two-out, two-strike, three-run homer off R.J. Alvarez to make it a 5-4 ballgame.

The lead continued to seesaw in the bottom half, though, as Graham Spraker loaded the bases before giving up a two-run single to Khalil Lee which gave the Mets a 6-5 lead.

Mets flamethrower Bryce Montes de Oca then closed things out with two perfect innings of work, striking out five out of the six batters he faced en route to the six-out save.

The Bisons and Mets will continue their series tomorrow night, with first pitch set for 6:35 p.m. EST.