Syracuse, NY (July 16, 2018) - Despite home runs from Chris Dominguez, Pedro Severino, and José Marmolejos, the Syracuse Chiefs dropped a slugfest to the Durham Bulls, 8-6, Monday night at NBT Bank Stadium. The Chiefs held a 3-0 lead after two innings before a 36-minute rain delay, but Durham
Syracuse, NY (July 16, 2018) - Despite home runs from Chris Dominguez, Pedro Severino, and José Marmolejos, the Syracuse Chiefs dropped a slugfest to the Durham Bulls, 8-6, Monday night at NBT Bank Stadium. The Chiefs held a 3-0 lead after two innings before a 36-minute rain delay, but Durham came out of the delay with a four-run third and two-run fourth inning to help to the win.
Syracuse (38-55) struck with power in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, Yadiel Hernandez worked a walk. Irving Falu followed with a single, placing runners at first and second base. After a fielder's choice, Dominguez hooked a three-run home run just inside the left-field foul pole to give the Chiefs a 3-0 lead.
After the second inning, rain started coming down hard which caused a rain delay. The delay lasted 36 minutes before the game resumed with the start of the third inning.
Durham (54-39) came out of the rain delay with authority in the top of the third. With one out, Nick Ciuffo doubled. Kean Wong followed with a single that scored Ciuffo to trim the Syracuse lead to two, 3-1. Willy Adames then doubled to right-center field, bringing home Wong to cut the Chiefs edge to one, 3-2. Brandon Lowe followed with a two-run home run to center field that gave the Bulls a 4-3 lead.
The Chiefs tied the game in the bottom of the third. With one out, Pedro Severino demolished a pitch off the light pole deep over the left-field fence, tying the game, 4-4.
The Bulls regained the lead in the fourth. Jeremy Hazelbaker led off with a double. Two batters later, Wong hit a ball over the right-center-field wall for a two-run home run that gave Durham a 6-4 advantage.
In the sixth inning, the Bulls scratched across an unearned run against Tim Collins. Andrew Velazquez reached first on an error on Matt Reynolds at short. After moving to second on a ground out, Velazquez stole third, and scored on an errant throw by Pedro Severino to push the lead to 7-4.
The Bulls added an eighth run in the seventh inning against David Goforth. Adames singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. Adames moved to third on a fielder's choice, and scored on Christian Arroyo's RBI single for an 8-4 edge.
Marmolejos brought the Chiefs within two in the bottom of the seventh. Marmolejos crushed a 2-2 Mike Franco pitch over the right-field fence for a two-run home run to cut the deficit to 8-6.
The Chiefs and Bulls continue their three-game series Tuesday night at 6:35 p.m. RHP Phillips Valdez is scheduled to start for Syracuse opposite RHP Jacob Faria for Durham.
