Monday, June 17, 2019

SYRACUSE WIN OVER STRIPERS 7-6



Grégor Blanco celebrates with his teammates in the dugout during Sunday's game where Blanco had a double, a home run, and scored two runs on Father's Day with his son at the game. (Danny Tripodi)

Syracuse, NY (June 16, 2019) - The Syracuse Mets used a two-run bottom of the eighth inning to come back and top the Gwinnett Stripers, 7-6, on Father’s Day at NBT Bank Stadium on Sunday afternoon. With the win, Syracuse finishes the homestand with a 4-2 record, winning both of its three-game series.

Gwinnett (37-31) trailed, 5-3, entering the top of the eighth inning before the Stripers rallied to take their first lead of the game. Gwinnett began the inning with back-to-back home runs from Rafael Ortega and Morales to lead off the inning and make it a 5-5. ballgame. The next batter, Pedro Florimón walked and advanced to second on a wild pickoff throw. Lopez then brought Florimón home on a single up the middle to give Gwinnett the lead, 6-5.

Syracuse (34-35) responded in a big way in the bottom of the eighth inning though. Dilson Herrera led off the frame with a walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Guillorme, and scored on a double by Arismendy Alcantara to tie the ballgame, 6-6. Pinch hitter Rajai Davis then plated Alcantara with a go-ahead single, giving the Mets a 7-6 advantage.

In the ninth, Mets reliever Daniel Zamora came on for the save and retired the Stripers in order to end the game.

Syracuse opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Grégor Blanco led off the frame with a double, advanced to third on a Danny Espinosa ground out to the right side, and scored on a Rubén Tejada groundout, giving Syracuse a 1-0 lead.

Gwinnett countered with a run in the top of the third to tie the game. Travis Demeritte walked with one out before Jonathan Morales drove him in with a two-out single, knotting the game, 1-1.

The Mets pulled ahead again thanks to a three-run bottom of the third inning. Blanco got things started with a solo home run over the center-field wall for a 2-1 Syracuse edge. Espinosa followed with an infield single. One batter later, Dilson Herrera drove Espinosa in with a double, putting Syracuse up 3-1. Herrera then came around to score on a Luis Guillorme single a few pitches later to extend the Mets lead to three, 4-1.

Gwinnett responded with two runs in the next half inning. Jack Lopez led it off with a single, Luis Marté reached on a walk, and Demeritte plated them both two outs later on a double, cutting the Syracuse lead to one, 4-3.

Mets starting pitcher Ervin Santana went five innings in his Syracuse debut. He allowed three earned runs on four hits, striking out five batters and walking five as well.

Dilson Herrera added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth with his second home run in as many nights, extending the Syracuse advantage to 5-3. Over his last six games, Herrera has eighth extra-base hits and five home runs.

Syracuse is off on Monday before a three-game tilt at Charlotte, starting Tuesday night. First pitch is a 7:04 p.m.

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