Bats drop series finale in Syracuse, 12-3

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Louisville Bats (17-23) dropped Thursday's series finale to the Syracuse Mets (23-16) by a 12-3 score at NBT Bank Stadium. In Louisville's final matchup against Syracuse this season, the Bats failed to win their fifth series of 2019 and fourth on the road.

Despite the blowout score, the Bats actually scored first in this one, when Luis Gonzalez crossed the plate on a throwing error by Syracuse third baseman Luis Guillorme in the top of the second inning. Louisville starting pitcher Vladimir Gutierrez (1-4, 9.00) threw a 1-2-3 first inning before trouble started in the bottom of the second, when the 23-year-old surrendered back-to-back homers to former Louisville Bat Dilson Herrera and then Guillorme, giving the Mets a 2-1 lead.
Syracuse added three runs in the third and four runs in the fourth, all off Gutierrez, to take a commanding 9-1 lead after four innings. The right-hander finished his night with 4.0 innings pitched, nine runs (eight earned) allowed on eight hits, walking none, striking out one and giving up a career-high five home runs. The Bats have been losers in each of his last seven starts after he grabbed a win in his Triple-A debut on April 7.
As an offense, Louisville scored a run in the second, sixth and ninth innings, collecting three runs on seven hits. Left-handed veteran Héctor Santiago (3-1, 3.35) tossed his second quality start in a row for Syracuse against Louisville, tossing 7.0 innings and getting the win. Scott Schebler reached base twice for Louisville, going 1-for-3 with an RBI and walk, now reaching base in seven of his last 10 plate appearances over his last 3 games. Nick Longhi kept up his hot streak as well, hitting a solo home run in the top of the ninth after coming off the bench for Rob Refsnyder earlier in the game.
The Bats stay in a New York state of mind with an upcoming three-game trip to Buffalo to face the Bisons, Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Sahlen Field matchup will open with right-hander José López (2-2, 5.29) for Louisville and right-hander Sean Reid-Foley (0-2, 8.13) for Buffalo with a 7:05 p.m. scheduled first pitch on Friday night.