SYRACUSE EDGES BUFFALO 5-3

Buffalo, NY (August 2, 2019) - The Syracuse Mets won their third straight game with a 5-3 victory over the Buffalo Bisons on Friday night at Sahlen Field. Mets starter pitcher Drew Gagnon allowed just one earned run in seven and 2/3 innings on the mound while striking out six batters and not allowing a walk. The 29-year-old lowered his ERA for the season to 2.43, which would lead the league by more than a full run if Gagnon had enough innings pitched to qualify for the league leaderboard.

Syracuse (56-55) scored first in the top of the third inning. Travis Taijeron and Ali Sanchez both singled to lead off the frame, placing runners at first and second base. Rymer Liriano followed with a single that scored Taijeron for a 1-0 Syracuse lead.

The Mets extended their lead in the top of the fourth. With one out, Rubén Tejada doubled. Two batters later, Arismendy Alcantara singled to right field, bringing home Tejada to make it a 2-0 Mets advantage.

Buffalo responded in the bottom of the fourth. Socrates Brito singled, and Richard Ureña doubled to put runners at second and third. Brito scored from third on a Rowdy Tellez groundout, cutting the deficit to one, 2-1.

Syracuse answered in the fifth. With one out, Liriano homered to center field to push the advantage back to two, 3-1.

The Mets then added a run in the seventh inning when Alcantara tripled and scored on a wild pitch for a 4-1 lead. In the eighth, Luis Guillorme hit a two-out, opposite-field home run to left field to extend the Syracuse lead to four, 5-1.

The Bisons scored a run in the bottom of the eighth on a Tellez single to center field to make it a 5-2 ballgame. Then, Buffalo scored in the ninth with an Andy Burns double to cut the Syracuse lead to two, 5-3, but that’s as close as Buffalo would get in the end.

Syracuse and Buffalo continue their three-game series on Saturday night with the second game of the series. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.