Chiefs rally late, beat Bats with four-run eighth

The Syracuse Chiefs came back from a two-run, eighth-inning deficit to top the Louisville Bats 4-2 on Wednesday afternoon from NBT Bank Stadium. Clint Robinson drove in the game's winning run on a two-out single in the eighth. Meanwhile, the pitching platoon of A.J. Cole, Sammy Solís, Austin Adams, and Wander Suero combined to allow just two runs on nine hits and one walk, striking out eight. 

Louisville (42-61) opened the scoring in the third inning versus Cole. With one out, Zach Vincej singled into left field. One batter later, the opposing pitcher, Tyler Mahle, laid down a sacrifice bunt. The ball rolled toward Cole, who attempted to throw to second to get the lead runner Vincej. The throw, however, did not get to the bag in time, allowing both runners to reach safely on the play. In the next at-bat, Jesse Winker doubled into right-center field, plating Vincej and putting the Bats out in front 1-0.
The Bats doubled their lead with one swing of the bat in the sixth. Chad Wallach led off the inning with a bang, hitting a 2-1 pitch over the left-field fence, his eighth home run of the season, extending the Bats' lead to 2-0.

Syracuse (36-66) came storming all the way back to take the lead for good in the eighth. With Mahle on the mound and one out, Bengie Gonazlez smacked his second hit of the afternoon into right field. Then Alejandro De Aza walked on the tenth pitch of the at-bat, moving Gonzalez up to second. Ariel Hernandez came in to relieve Mahle after the De Aza walk and then walked Zach Collier to load the bases. Irving Falu followed with another walk, scoring Gonzalez and keeping the bases loaded. The next batter, Neftali Soto, popped a sacrifice fly into center field to plate De Aza and tie the game up at two runs apiece. Next, with runners at first and second, Robinson delivered the pivotal hit of the game, a bounding single into right field that brought Collier in to score and gave the Chiefs their first lead of the game. After the go-ahead hit, Brandon Snyder walked to again load the bases before Bats' manager Delino DeShields brought in Alejandro Chacin. Chacin then hurled a wild pitch with Spencer Kieboom at the dish, scoring Falu for the fourth and final Chiefs run of the game.
The starting pitching for both teams came up big in the game. Cole pitched excellently on the mound for the Chiefs, tossing six innings of two-run ball, striking out six Bats in the process. Meanwhile, for the Bats, Mahle also pitched magnificently. The young right-hander hurled seven and one-third innings of two-run baseball, allowing just four hits, and fanning six.
The Chiefs and Bats finish up a four-game set Thursday night at 6:35 p.m. from NBT Bank Stadium. Jaron Long is scheduled to take the mound for Syracuse opposite left-hander Amir Garrett for Louisville.