Chiefs Sweep IronPigs, Win Finale 10-2

ALLENTOWN, PA - The Syracuse Chiefs continued their impressive offensive play on Friday, exploding for ten runs, and fourteen hits, and four homeruns. The International League North Division-leaders won Friday's contest 10-2, improving to 59-39 - the best record in all of Triple-A Baseball - and sweeping the IronPigs in the two game series by a combined score of 23-2.

The score was tied at zero entering the fourth inning, but Chiefs' outfielder Steven Souza Jr. would lead-off the frame with his fifteenth homerun of the season, the first of four longballs in the game. The visitors would tally six runs in the inning, using two homeruns, two doubles, and two singles off of Lehigh Valley starter RHP Sean O'Sullivan.

O'Sullivan would stay in to start the fifth inning, but after back-to-back homeruns by 2B Zach Walters and 3B Brandon Laird - Laird's second homerun in as many innings - gave Syracuse a 9-0 advantage, the Pigs right-hander was replaced by RHP Ethan Martin with one out in the inning. Martin would retire both men he faced in the fifth, entering the bottom of the frame down 9-0.

The IronPigs offense answered with a two-run fifth inning, in-part due to an RBI double by Martin. The Lehigh Valely reliever would get the scoring started when he drove a ball to the rightfield wall off of Syracuse starter RHP AJ Cole, scoring C Lars Davis who has singled two batters earlier. 2B Nate Spears then made it four consecutive hits in the inning with a linedrive over the second baseman, scoring SS Edgar Duran and cutting the Chiefs' lead to 9-2.

Unfortunately for the Pigs, Cole would settle down and retire the next two batters, limiting the damage to only two runs. The 22-year-old prospect would earn his second career Triple-A victory on Friday, hurling seven innings of two-run ball.

Martin would stay in the game and spin two more scoreless innings, throwing two and two-thirds total and allowing no runs and no hits while striking out three. The 25-year-old has now completed four straight scoreless outings, allowing only three hits in his last 8.0 innings pitched.

The IronPigs (46-52) and Chiefs (59-39) will now travel north to face the tough task of playing four games over the next two days, due to rain-outs earlier in the season. Syracuse sits atop the IL North division, and now holds a 13-game advantage over the IronPigs. The Pigs will send RHP Brad Lincoln to the mound in Saturday's first game, to try and give the Pigs their second win in their last six games.

After the two double-headers over the weekend, the IronPigs will return to the Lehigh Valley to face the Buffalo Bisons and the Pawtucket Red Sox for two games apiece starting Monday for their next four-game homestand.