Chiefs edge Red Sox, grab series win
The Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, beat the Pawtucket Red Sox, 4-3, on Tuesday. Syracuse jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fourth. The start of the game, which was originally a doubleheader, was delayed almost two-and-a-half hours due to rain.
Syracuse (27-36) got on the board in the bottom of the first inning. With runners on the corners and nobody out, Tyler Moore came to the plate for his 2013 Chiefs debut. He hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score a run and put Syracuse up 1-0.
The Chiefs got another run in the third inning. Chris Rahl and Eury Perez led off the frame with back-to-back singles. A wild pitch by Pawtucket starter Steven Wright advanced each runner up a base. Following a ground out, Corey Brown stepped up runners on second and third with one out. He hit a sacrifice fly to right field, Rahl scored on the play and Syracuse led 2-0.
In the fourth inning, Mike Costanzo and Zach Walters extended the Chiefs' lead. They hit back-to-back home runs to right field to put Syracuse up 4-0. It was Walters' team-leading 12th home run of the season.
Syracuse starter Yunesky Maya shut out Pawtucket (37-27) until the fifth inning. In that frame, Justin Henry came to the plate with the bases empty and two outs. He hit a pitch over the right-field wall to cut the Chiefs lead to 4-1.
The Red Sox cut into the deficit again in the eighth. With two outs and Brock Holt on second base, Jackie Bradley Jr. doubled to right field to score the runner and get Pawtucket within two, 4-2.
Pawtucket got one more in the top of the ninth. Bryce Brentz came to the plate with one out and hit a solo home run to right field to cut Syracuse's lead to 4-3. However, close Mike Broadway retired the final two batters to end the game.
Syracuse is off on Wednesday before welcoming Toledo to NBT Bank Stadium at 7:00 on Thursday. Left-hander Danny Rosenbaum takes the hill for the Chiefs, while left-hander Pat Misch is scheduled to pitch for the Mud Hens.