Chiefs done in by Indians' 7th inning rally

The Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, lost 6-4 on Monday night to the Indianapolis Indians in the finale of their four-game series. The Chiefs carried a 4-2 lead into the seventh inning before Indianapolis scored four runs off of starter Tommy Milone and reliever Hassan Pena. Alex Presley, Chase d'Arnaud, and Brian Friday lined three consecutive RBI hits, with John Bowker's RBI single providing the sixth and final run.

Indianapolis (27-31) pounced early against Milone with a first inning run. d'Arnaud led off the game with his league-leading fifth triple and scored on the first of Friday's three doubles. Milone settled down after that and was sensational for most of the evening. The southpaw struck out nine, giving him the International League lead with 68 strikeouts.

Syracuse (23-32) compiled back-to-back two-run innings in the fifth and sixth. In the fifth, Matt Antonelli doubled in two runs, the second of his two doubles in the game. Antonelli is now hitting .351 in 15 games with Syracuse.

In the sixth, Chris Marrero launched a two-run home run to drive in Jesus Valdez. The long ball was Marrero's team-leading seventh, and his second homer of the series.

The Indians scratched across a run in the sixth inning with a Matt Hague RBI double. Indianapolis then pushed across the winning runs in the seventh. Presley lined a pinch-hit RBI triple with one out, making the score 4-3 and ending Milone's night. Pena then allowed a single to d'Arnaud and double to Friday, before he retired Hague on a line drive and gave up an RBI single to Bowker. The reliever suffered his first Triple-A loss in his second game.

The Chiefs had one more rally left in the ninth inning against Indians closer Tim Wood. After two quick outs, Adam Fox singled, pinch-hitter Tug Hulett walked, and Gregor Blanco walked to load the bases for Antonelli. On Wood's third consecutive full count, the second baseman flied out to center field.

Syracuse heads home for the first time in nine days on Tuesday night. The Chiefs will take on Louisville at 7:05 PM for the first of a four-game series.