Syracuse Mets Recap: Ewing Nearly Hits for Cycle in Triple-A Debut, Lifts Syracuse over Lehigh Valley 10-4 Tuesday

Box Score

Syracuse, NY – In his Triple-A debut, A.J. Ewing sparked the Syracuse Mets offense in a 10-4 win over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Tuesday night at NBT Bank Stadium. Ewing reached base three times, scored three runs, and finished a home run shy of the cycle.

Syracuse (14-13) wasted no time getting on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Leading off, Ewing ripped a triple to left-center field in his first Triple-A at-bat. After Nick Morabito was hit by a pitch and stole second, Christian Arroyo launched a three-run homer to center field, giving the Mets a 3-0 lead.

Lehigh Valley (16-12) answered in the second. Christian Cairo worked a walk before Carter Kieboom blasted a two-run home run, trimming the Syracuse lead to 3-2.

The IronPigs tied the game in the third when Sergio Alcántara reached on a single and later scored on an RBI base hit by Otto Kemp, evening the score at 3-3.

Lehigh Valley grabbed the lead in the fourth. Kieboom doubled and Liover Peguero singled to put runners at the corners before Óscar Mercado lifted a sacrifice fly, putting the IronPigs in front, 4-3.

Syracuse answered in the bottom of the fourth when Cristian Pache crushed a solo home run to left field, tying the game, 4-4.

The Mets took the lead back in the fifth. Yonny Hernández was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a balk before Ewing worked a walk. After a walk by Morabito loaded the bases, a passed ball allowed Hernández to score, putting Syracuse ahead, 5-4.

Syracuse added insurance in the sixth. Pache singled and moved to third on an error before Yonny Hernández lifted a sacrifice fly, stretching the lead to 6-4.

In the seventh, Ewing singled to begin the inning and came around to score when Ryan Clifford crushed a two-run homer, his fifth of the season to tie for the team lead, extending the advantage to 8-4.

The Mets put the game away in the eighth. After singles by Pache and Ben Rortvedt, Ewing lined a two-run double to left field, capping a three-hit night and stretching the lead to 10-4.

On the mound, Brandon Waddell started for Syracuse and allowed four runs over three and one-third innings. Carlos Guzman earned the win with two and two-thirds scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Joey Gerber, Daniel Duarte, and Anderson Severino combined for three shutout innings to close it out.

Syracuse continues its six-game series with Lehigh Valley on Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.