Syracuse squanders offensive opportunities in 4-2 Wednesday matinee loss in Charlotte

Charlotte, NC – The Syracuse Mets did not finish the job on Wednesday afternoon, dropping a 4-2 decision to the Charlotte Knights on a sun-splashed afternoon in the Queen City. The Mets left 13 runners on base in the defeat, including leaving at least two runners on base in five different innings in the game.

For the second straight game, a highly-regarded Mets pitching prospect took the mound at Truist Field. After Christian Scott went five and one-third innings of strong baseball on Tuesday night, Dom Hamel attempted to equal the feat on Wednesday. After Hamel breezed through two scoreless innings to start the game, the Knights got to him in the third when Danny Mendick hit a solo homer with one out to put Charlotte (6-11) in front 1-0. Mendick, a former Met, now leads the Knights with five home runs already this season.

In the fourth and fifth, the Syracuse (9-7) offense gave Hamel some run support. In the fourth, a Trayce Thompson solo shot knotted the game up, 1-1. Thompson now has hit three home runs in the last four games.

In the fifth, Mark Vientos did it yet again, singling home Tomas Nido to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. Vientos has six hits and five RBIs in the first two games of the series this week in Charlotte. Nido also finished Wednesday’s game with three hits.

Hamel did indeed equal Scott’s feat from Tuesday night, taking his start into the sixth inning. However, three straight singles from the Knights to start the frame tied the game up, 2-2, and eventually chased Hamel from the game. Hamel’s final line was still solid with two earned runs and seven hits allowed in five and one-third innings with two walks and six strikeouts. Hamel recorded four of his six strikeouts in his final two innings of work.

In the bottom of the seventh, Charlotte completed their comeback with two runs to take a 4-2 lead that they would not relinquish. With Mendick back on base and two outs, Oscar Colás continued to be a thorn in the Mets side, slugging a two-run shot over the left-field fence that proved to be a game-winner.

From there, the Knights bullpen closed the door, albeit in interesting fashion. The Mets left nine runners on base in the final five innings of the game, including two on base in scoring position in the eighth and one more runner on base in the ninth. The 13 runners left on base by Syracuse tied a season high.

Syracuse is on the road all week at the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, the Charlotte Knights. Game three of the six-game set is slated for 7:04 p.m. on Thursday with left-hander Joey Lucchesi expected to start the game on the mound for the Mets.