Chiefs edge Bats in pitchers' duel

The Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, won a pitchers' duel on Wednesday night in a 2-1 victory over the Louisville Bats. Left-hander John Lannan fired six innings of one-run ball, with Carlos Rivero's pinch-hit single in the seventh inning driving in the eventual game-winning run.

Syracuse (25-28) struck first with a fourth-inning run against Bats right-hander Brett Tomko. Mark Teahen began the rally with a one-out double, and Brett Carroll followed with a walk. After a Xavier Paul fly out, Jarrett Hoffpauir singled to center field, plating Teahen for the game's first run.

But it didn't take for Louisville (17-37) to retaliate. In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Bats got a leadoff single from Coby Puckett and a one-out walk from Corky Miller. After a Miguel Rojas groundout advanced the runners, Tomko helped his own cause with a run-scoring single to center field. But Miller had to hold at third base, and Lannan struck out Kristopher Negron to end the threat in a 1-1 game.

The Chiefs then broke through with a two-out rally in the seventh inning. Catcher James Skelton laced his first Triple-A extra-base hit, bringing up Rivero to pinch-hit for Lannan. The right-handed hitter broke through with a single to right field, scoring Skelton for a 2-1 lead.

Syracuse's bullpen did the rest. Hassan Pena tossed two scoreless innings in back of Lannan, and right-hander Pat Lehman worked the ninth inning for his first career Triple-A save.

The Chiefs and Bats will close out their series on Thursday night at 7:05. Syracuse right-hander Yunesky Maya and Louisville right-hander Sean Gallagher are the scheduled starters.