Bisons pull away from Mets for 12-1 Buffalo win on Friday night at NBT Bank Stadium

Syracuse, NY - The Syracuse Mets dropped their third straight game against the Buffalo Bisons, falling 12-1 on Friday night at NBT Bank Stadium. With the win, Buffalo improves to 7-1 in The Triple-A Final Strech while Syracuse falls to 3-5.

Buffalo (78-47) struck first in the top of the first inning. Mallex Smith worked a leadoff walk, and then Otto Lopez flied out. After Kevin Smith struck out, Gregory Polanco hit a one-out single to move Smith to third base. Tyler White then hit a one-run single, scoring Smith to give the Bisons an early 1-0 lead.

Buffalo increased its lead in the top of the third when Mallex Smith hit a leadoff home run to make it 2-0 Bisons.

In the top of the fourth, Cullen Large worked a leadoff walk for Buffalo. After Christian Colón popped out, Juan Graterol singled. Logan Warmoth followed with a walk to load the bases. Then Smith delivered again, this time with a two-run single to extend the Bisons lead to 4-0. Next, Lopez hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Warmoth and make it 5-0.

Buffalo added another three runs in the fifth, starting with a Polanco leadoff solo home run to go up 6-0. After White grounded out, Large was hit by a pitch from Syracuse starting pitcher Zack Godley. Then Godley also hit Colón with a pitch to put runners on first and second base. Tom Hackimer then came out of the Syracuse bullpen to replace Godley. Hackimer walked Graterol to load the bases with one out. Next, Warmoth hit a two-run single to make it 8-0 Bisons.

Buffalo put up a trio of runs again, this time in the eighth. Smith drew a leadoff walk, and then Polanco hit into a fielder’s choice as Smith was retired at second base. White followed with a walk to put runners at first and second. After Knight flied out, Colón hit a one-run double to score Polanco and increase the lead to 9-0. Next, Graterol hit a two-run single to stretch the lead to 11-0.

Syracuse (50-74-1) finally got on the board in the bottom of the eighth. Khalil Lee and Brandon Drury both led off the inning with singles. Cheslor Cuthbert then flied out to right field, allowing Lee to move to third. David Thompson followed and hit a pop up into shallow center field, where Buffalo second baseman Nash Knight backpedaled and didn’t make the catch as the ball dropped, and Lee came home to score to make it 11-1 with Buffalo still in front. Drury was thrown out at second on the play for a fielder’s choice.

In the top of the ninth, Lopez hit a one-out single, and then Smith walked. Polanco followed with a single to score Lopez and stretch the Buffalo lead to eleven, 12-1.

The Mets and Bisons return to NBT Bank Stadium on Saturday for game four of the series and the penultimate game of the 2021 season. Syracuse right-hander Vance Worley faces Buffalo southpaw Zach Logue. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.