Syracuse offense silent in 3-0 loss at Norfolk on Wednesday night 

Norfolk, VA – The Syracuse Mets struggled offensively on Wednesday night, getting shut out on five total hits in a 3-0 loss at the Norfolk Tides (Triple-A Baltimore Orioles) on Wednesday night. The Mets have now lost the first two games of the six-game series and six games in a row.

After the first two and a half innings of the game were scoreless, Norfolk (30-10) manufactured a pair of runs to open the scoring in the bottom of the third inning. To start the frame, Maverick Handley singled, and Connor Norby walked to put two runners on base with nobody out. Jordan Westburg flied out, but Handley tagged up and moved to third on the play while Norby remaining at first. With Kyle Stowers batting, Norby stole second base, Mets catcher Gary Sánchez’s throw promptly sailed into center field, scoring Handley from third and moving Norby to third with still just one out as Norfolk took a 1-0 lead. Stowers then walked, and Josh Lester singled to bring another run home for a 2-0 advantage.

After the inning ended, Syracuse starter Dylan Bundy was ejected from the game by the umpires after an inspection of his glove was deemed to reveal an illegal substance. That led to an early night of work for the Syracuse (16-25) bullpen, forcing Dedniel Núñez to enter the game in the top of the fourth inning. Núñez held his own, allowing just one run in three innings of work with two walks and two strikeouts. Unfortunately for Núñez, the only hit he gave up was a solo home run to Lester that increased the lead for the Tides to 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth.

The rest of the Mets bullpen had a solid night at the office as well. William Woods worked one and two-thirds scoreless frames with one hit allowed plus two walks and two strikeouts, followed by Bubby Rossman helping Woods to wiggle out of a mess in the bottom of the eighth. With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Rossman struck out Anthony Bemboom to leave the bags full of Norfolk Tides.

The best chance for the Mets to get back in the game came in the top of the eighth inning while still trailing 3-0. Tides reliever Eduard Bazardo came out of the bullpen and immediately stepped into danger, serving up a single to Ronny Mauricio and hitting Sánchez to put two runners on base with one out. After DJ Stewart struck out, Jaylin Davis walked to load up the bases and put Syracuse in prime position to get right back in the ballgame. However, it wasn’t to be. Nick Vespi relieved Bazardo and got Jonathan Araúz to ground out and leave the bases loaded. Vespi also worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn the save clinch the league-leading 30th win of the season for Norfolk.

Syracuse’s offense once again squandered too many opportunities on Wednesday night. The Mets left nine runners on base in the defeat. Syracuse has now lost seven of the first eight games in its 12-game road trip. During the trip, the Mets have left 65 runners on base, which averages out to more than eight runners left on base per game.

Syracuse continues its two-week, 12-game long road trip on Thursday afternoon. The third game of the six-game series against Norfolk is set for a 12:05 p.m. first pitch.