Chiefs lose third straight to Yankees
Blanco's solo blast was his second in two days after a homer in the fourth inning Monday. Jesus Valdez followed Blanco's four-bagger with a walk, but Yankees starter Adam Warren got three straight outs to end the inning without any more damage.
Syracuse southpaw Ross Detwiler started on the mound and shined through seven innings of action. His only rough inning came in the third, when Scranton/Wilkes-Barre started the frame with four straight hits to produce a 3-1 lead. After those knocks, however, Detwiler retired 12 of the next 13 batters he faced.
He did give up two more singles in the seventh, but finished the inning with back-to-back strikeouts. The lefty gave up seven hits and the three runs, walked one and struck out five in his seven-inning appearance.
But while Detwiler baffled the Yankees bats, Warren was equally as good. He pitched seven innings, allowing just three hits and one run, walking four and striking out one. The righty also allowed just one Chief other than Blanco to advance past first base while he was at the mound.
Jeff Mandel would take over for Detwiler in the final two innings. He held the Yankees scoreless on two hits with two strikeouts in his brief appearance.
But Yankees reliever Greg Smith and Josh Schmidt matched Mandel's relief performance with two shutout frames. Smith retired three straight batters behind two strikeouts in the eighth and put down the first two Chiefs he faced in the ninth. The lefty then walked Tug Hulett before Schmidt stepped in to strike out Jesus Flores and end the game.
The Chiefs have a day off Wednesday before travelling to Charlotte Thursday for a four game series with the Knights. Righty Brad Meyers will take the mound for Syracuse.