Rivera homers, but Syracuse drops series finale to Buffalo, 10-5

Syracuse, NY - The Syracuse Mets dropped their final game before the All-Star break, 10-5, to the Buffalo Bisons on Sunday afternoon at NBT Bank Stadium. Réne Rivera knocked a three-run homer in the loss for Syracuse

Buffalo (46-42) took control of the game in the top of the sixth inning. With the game tied 4-4, Roemon Fields led off the frame with a walk. Bo Bichette drove him in from first base on a double into the left-field corner, giving the Bisons a 5-4 lead. Later in the inning, with two runners on and one out, Jordan Patterson doubled to score Bichette and make it 6-4 Buffalo. From there, back-to-back RBI singles from Richard Ureña and Brad McKinney extended the Bisons lead to 8-4. 
Syracuse (42-47) countered with one run in the bottom of the sixth inning. After singles from Danny Espinosa and Dilson Herrera, Travis Taijeron doubled to score Espinosa and make it 8-5. 
Buffalo kept the bats hot in the top of the seventh though. Bichette and Sócrates Brito singled to start the inning. Then, two batters later, Urena doubled with two outs to score them both and make it 10-5 Bisons. 
Buffalo scored a run in each of the first four innings. In the first, Patrick Kivlehan doubled with two outs and was brought home by a single from Patterson, making it 1-0. 
Syracuse produced a run of their own with two outs in the first inning. Arismendy Alcantara walked and stole a base before Espinosa knocked him in from second on a single to right-field, tying the game, 1-1. 
Buffalo led off each of the second and third innings with home runs. In the second, McKinney hit his fourth homer of the year. Then in the third, Brito blasted his ninth homer this year, extending the Bisons lead to 3-1. 
The Mets responded in the bottom of the third inning. Grégor Blanco led off the inning with a single, and Alcantara walked to put runners on first and second. One batter later, Rivera crushed a three-run home run to give Syracuse its first lead of the day, 4-3. 
In the top of the fourth, Buffalo catcher Michael De La Cruz started the frame with a double. Fields singled to move him over to third before De La Cruz scored from there on a wild pitch, tying the game, 4-4. 
Syracuse is now off for the All Star break. The Mets return to the field to host the Sctanton/Wilke-Barre RailRiders Thursday night at NBT Bank Stadium. First pitch between Syracuse and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is set for 6:35 p.m.