Early Mets lead not enough in 10-5 loss to Red Sox on Saturday evening Inbox A five-run bottom of the seventh inning for the Worcester Red Sox doomed the Syracuse Mets on Saturday night as the Mets fell to the Red Sox, 10-5, at Polar Park in Worcester, MA. Syracuse (2-9) jumped out to a big lead in the top of the first inning. Johneshwy Fargas led off with a single and stole second base. Two batters later, Wilfredo Tovar singled, scoring Fargas to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. Brandon Drury followed with a double to left-center-field that allowed Tovar to score from first for a 2-0 edge. Deivy Grullon then crushed a two-run home run over the 22-foot-high Worcester Wall in right field, extending the Syracuse lead to 4-0. Worcester (6-5) responded in the bottom of the first. Kiké Hernandez was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame, and Danny Santana followed with a two-run homer, cutting the Syracuse lead in half, 4-2. The Red Sox pulled closer in the second thanks to a Jeter Downs solo home run that made it a 4-3 ballgame. Worcester tied the game and took the lead in the fifth. With one out, Chris Herrmann doubled. Downs followed with a single to the left side that trickled into left field. Herrmann advanced to third base on the play. Mets shortstop Wilfredo Tovar picked the ball up and tried to throw Herrmann out at third. The throw was wild and went towards home plate where Mets catcher Deivy Grullon picked the ball up and overthrew second base where Downs was trying to advance to. That errant throw allowed Herrmann to score, tying the game, 4-4. Two batters later, Jack Lopez doubled home Downs, giving the Red Sox a 5-4 lead. The Mets responded in the fifth. Fargas reached on an error and stole second base. Mason Williams followed with a walk. Tovar then flied out to right field. Fargas tagged up and advanced to third on the play and scored on an errant throw to third that bounced into the Syracuse dugout as the Mets tied the game, 5-5. The Red Sox broke the game open in the seventh. Michael Gettys, pinch hitting for Hernandez, worked a walk, and Danny Santana also walked to put runners on first and second base. Jarren Duran followed with a double, scoring Gettys for a 6-5 Worcester edge. A Yairo Munoz sacrifice fly brought home Santana to make it 7-5. Marcus Wilson then singled home Duran for a three-run Red Sox lead, 8-5. After a Herrmann walk put runners on first and second, Downs doubled to score both Wilson and Herrmann, extending Worcester’s lead to five, 10-5. Syracuse and Worcester conclude their six-game series on Sunday afternoon. Right-hander Jesús Reyes will start for the Mets against Red Sox right-hander Raynel Espinal. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. --

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE RAILRIDERS GAME REPORT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 4 Lehigh Valley 5 MOOSIC, Pa. (May 15, 2021) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders could not pull off their third straight come-from-behind win against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, falling 5-4 on Saturday afternoon at PNC Field. In his Triple-A debut, Estevan Florial finished 1-for-4 with a triple, a walk and a run scored. The RailRiders bullpen combined for 5.0 scoreless innings, and has only allowed one run in its last 16.2 innings. The IronPigs picked up two runs in the top of the first against Mike Montgomery on a two-run single from C.J. Chatham. They tacked on an additional run against the lefty in the third and two more in the fourth to open up a 5-0 lead. In his third start of the season, Montgomery allowed five runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out two in 4.0 innings. Nick Nelson tossed 2.2 scoreless innings, striking out five, and Braden Bristo and Nick Goody combined to silence the Lehigh Valley bats afterward. Nelson, Bristo and Goody did not allow a hit and walked a combined two while registering eight strikeouts. The RailRiders clawed back with a run in the bottom of the fourth against Adonis Medina on an RBI single from Ryan LaMarre. The outfielder finished the game 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, his third straight game driving in a run. In the fifth, Chris Gittens connected on an opposite-field two-run home run to cut the deficit to 5-3. The blast was Gittens’ third of the season, tying him with Luke Voit for most on the club in the young season. Against MLB rehabber Archie Bradley in the bottom of the sixth, SWB rallied for a run on an Armando Alvarez RBI single to get within one run of Lehigh Valley, but that was as close as the RailRiders would get. IronPigs pitchers retired 11 of the final 12 batters they faced after Alvarez’s hit. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre finishes its six-game series with Lehigh Valley on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. at PNC Field. The IronPigs send RHP Spencer Howard (0-0, 0.00) to the mound, while the RailRiders counter with RHP Deivi Garcia (1-0, 5.40). For tickets and more information, call (570) 969-BALL or slide to www.swbrailriders.com/tickets.

Mets pitching shines, but Red Sox walk off with 2-1 victory in ten innings on Friday night Inbox Michael Tricarico Fri, May 14, 11:06 PM (12 hours ago) to Michael The Syracuse Mets and Worcester Red Sox played their first extra-inning game of the season with the Red Sox winning on a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the tenth inning, 2-1, on Friday night at Polar Park in Worcester, MA. With the game tied, 1-1, in the top of the tenth inning, Syracuse had Quinn Brodey start the frame at second base because of the extra-inning rule implemented in the minor leagues beginning in 2018. Drew Ferguson walked to lead off. Brodey then advanced to third base and Ferguson to second on a Cody Bohanek sacrifice bunt. The Red Sox intentionally walked Johneshwy Fargas to load the bases. Martin Cervenka popped out and Brandon Drury grounded out, ending the half inning. In the bottom of the tenth, Jett Bandy started at second base for Worcester. Bandy moved to third on a Jarren Duran groundout to second base. The Mets then intentionally walked both Danny Santana and Chris Herrmann to load the bases. Yairo Munoz popped out for the second out. Marcus Wilson came to the plate and worked a full count. The 3-2 pitch was inside to Wilson for ball four, walking in the game-winning run for a 2-1 Red Sox win. Worcester (5-5) scored the game’s first run in the second inning. Wilson led off with a home run to center field to put the Red Sox in front, 1-0. Syracuse (2-8) struggled to score and didn’t have a hit through the game’s first six innings. That changed in the seventh. With one out, Quinn Brodey homered over the 22-foot-high Worcester Wall in right field, tying the game, 1-1. While the Mets would manage just one more hit the rest of the game, Syracuse’s pitching was masterful. Starter Jordan Yamamoto struck out eight batters in four and 1/3 innings on the mound, allowing just four hits and one run. Relievers Trevor Hildenberger, Arodys Vizcaíno, and Yennsy Díaz combined to throw 4 and 2/3 innings of one-hit, scoreless baseball while walking just one batter and striking out nine. Stephen Nogosek was on the mound for the Mets in the tenth, striking out one batter. The run that scored is an unearned run. Syracuse and Worcester meet again on Saturday. Right-hander Jerad Eickhoff will be on the mound for the Mets opposite right-hander Ryan Weber for the Red Sox. First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m.

Ponies Fall in Extras After Late Comeback From Curve BINGHAMTON, NY – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies fell to the Altoona Curve 9-6 in 10 innings on Thursday night at Rumbletown Stadium. Binghamton (0-8) led 6-2 after eight and 6-3 heading into the ninth, but Altoona tied it with three in the ninth and scored three in the tenth to pull out their fifth straight victory. Altoona (5-3) came back in the ninth against Yeizo Campos via an RBI single from Rodolfo Castro and tied it with a 2-run homer from Mason Martin. They took the lead in the tenth via a two-run triple from Oneil Cruz off Jared Robinson (0-1). Binghamton scored two in the third, one in the fourth, and two in the fifth to take a 5-2 lead. Carlos Cortes finished 3-6 with two runs scored, and an RBI. Wagner Lagrange, Jeremy Vasquez, and Yoel Romero all had multi-hit games, and Sebastian Elizalde had two RBI. Adam Oller allowed only one earned run over five in the no-decision, walking three and striking out seven. Andrew Mitchell also pitched two scoreless frames in relief. The Rumble Ponies continue their six-game series against the Curve Friday night at 7:05 PM, with pregame coverage beginning at 6:50 on MiLB.com and MiLB.TV POSTGAME NOTES: The Ponies had ten hits on the night and LaGrange, Vasquez, and Romero each had an RBI…Romero reached base four times.

MANSCAPED™ Designated Official Below-the-Waist Grooming Partner of The Professional Bowlers Association Global Men’s Grooming Company Strikes up a Partnership with Bowling’s Major League SAN DIEGO, Calif. ― A partnership right up the MANSCAPED™ alley. The global leader in men’s grooming and hygiene spares no effort when it comes to its coveted sports partnership roster, and today is pleased to announce its latest addition: The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA). As the host of the largest and most competitive bowling tournaments worldwide, the PBA is no stranger to hairy situations and welcomes MANSCAPED into the fold as Official Below-the-Waist Grooming Partner of its most popular upcoming competitions. “We’re constantly looking to diversify our sports marketing efforts in a meaningful and organic way,” said Joey Kovac, Senior Director of Marketing at MANSCAPED. “When the opportunity came to work with The Professional Bowlers Association, we knew we couldn’t let this one slip through our hands. These tournaments will be action-packed and shown live on everyone’s favorite networks, and we can’t wait to tune in.” “The PBA is thrilled to welcome MANSCAPED as an official PBA sponsor.” said Colie Edison, Chief Executive Officer of the PBA “We look forward to the continued growth of professional bowling and are thankful for their support of the Tour and our sport.” MANSCAPED’s logo - now synonymous with just about every sporting event out there - will be front and center at some of the most highly anticipated and widely broadcast PBA events of the season. Placement includes in the LED along and above the lanes as well as behind the players. The stacked lineup of tournaments are as follows: Kia PBA Playoffs Semifinals – Saturday, May 15 at 11 a.m. ET on FS1 Semifinal matches of the 2021 Kia PBA Playoffs, which will feature the four remaining players competing to advance to the Championship Finals. Kia PBA Playoffs Finals – Sunday, May 16 at 2 p.m. ET on FOX Championship Finals of the 2021 Kia PBA Playoffs, which will feature the remaining two players competing for a $100K first-place prize and a WWE Championship Title Belt. PBA King of the Lanes – Saturday, June 19 – Sunday, June 20 starting at 2 p.m. ET on FS1 Five-part special event series featuring PBA professionals competing in head-to-head matches to determine a “King” of each show. PBA Tour Finals – Saturday, June 26 – Sunday, June 27 starting at 12 p.m. ET on CBSSN Nine hours of live PBA Tour competition featuring the Tour’s top 8-point earners over the past two seasons competing for a PBA Tour title. PBA Strike Derby – Sunday, July 11 at 2 p.m. on FS1 Special event featuring PBA professionals competing in a home-run-derby-style tournament, bowling as many strikes as they can in two minutes. Don’t miss the loud and lively competition, filled with strikes, spares, and the smoothest bowling balls you’ve ever seen. As MANSCAPED continues to keep the ball rolling on its sports marketing sponsorships, there’s no telling where they’ll take it next. About The PBA: The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) is the world’s preeminent organization dedicated to the sport of bowling and its professional competition, with thousands of members and millions of fans throughout the world. The PBA plays host to bowling’s biggest tournaments from the PBA Tour, PBA Regional Tour, and PBA50 Tour. In 2020, the PBA launched PBA Jr., a club for elite youth bowlers under the age of 17 and the PBA Pinsiders, a membership for fans of the sport. For more information, please visit PBA.com. About MANSCAPED™: Founded by Paul Tran in 2016, San Diego, California-based MANSCAPED is the global leader in men's grooming and hygiene below-the-waist, trusted by over 2 million men worldwide. The product range includes only the best tools, formulations, and accessories for a simple, effective, and elevated male grooming routine. MANSCAPED offers a one-stop-shop at manscaped.com and direct-to-consumer shipping in more than 30 countries, spanning the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Norway, and Switzerland. Select products and unique bundles can also be found on Amazon with Prime and pickup options available. Retail placement includes Target and Best Buy locations throughout the U.S. For more information, visit the website or follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, and Triller.

Ford Motor Co. on Tuesday said it would invest more than $1 billion in its South Africa operations to support expanded production of an updated version of its Ranger pickup truck, starting in 2022. The investment tied to Ford's Silverton Assembly Plant, located just east of capital city Pretoria, marks the Blue Oval's largest to date in its nearly century-long history in South Africa. The investment is expected to increase the plant's capacity from 168,000 vehicles annually to 200,000, and will add 1,200 "incremental" jobs with Ford in South Africa, for a total workforce of 5,500 employees. Ranger trucks built at Silverton supply the domestic market as well as more than 100 other markets globally — but not North America. Additionally, the South African plant will build Volkswagen pickup trucks as part of Ford's strategic alliance with the German automaker. Ford Motor Co. is investing $1.05 billion to upgrade its Silverton Assembly Plant and related facilities in South Africa, to expand production of its Ranger pickup truck. "This investment will further modernize our South African operations, helping them to play an even more important role in the turnaround and growth of our global automotive operations, as well as our strategic alliance with Volkswagen," Dianne Craig, president of Ford's international markets group, said in a statement. "Ranger is one of our highest volume, most successful global vehicles," she said. "This investment will equip our team with the tools and facilities to deliver the best Ford Ranger ever, in higher numbers and with superior quality." The automaker said in a news release that with the new investment, the Silverton plant is expected to generate revenues that represent more than 1.1% of South Africa's gross domestic product, which in 2019 totaled more than $350 billion according to the World Bank. The investment includes $686 billion for upgrades to the Silverton plant aimed at growing production volume and improving efficiency and quality, the automaker said. Planned upgrades include a new body shop featuring robotic technology, and a "high-tech" stamping plant. Those facilities will for the first time be located on the plant's site. Upgrades also are planned for the box line, paint shop and final assembly. Ford also will build new vehicle modification and training centers, and allocate $365 million to upgrade tooling at major supplier plant. "The extensive upgrades and new state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies will drive efficiencies across our entire South Africa operation — from sequenced delivery of parts direct to the assembly line, to increased vehicle production line speeds and precision of assembly to ensure the world-class quality that our customers expect," Andrea Cavallaro, director of operations for Ford's international markets group, said in a statement. Your stories live here. Fuel your hometown passion and plug into the stories that define it. Create Account The automaker also is in the process of building solar carports for 4,200 vehicles at the Silverton plant, as part of a larger renewable-energy project. The goal, said Cavallaro, is to take Silverton "completely off the grid, becoming entirely energy self-sufficient and carbon neutral" by 2024. Global automakers and industry experts view Africa — given growing population, relatively low rates of vehicle ownership and prospects for economic growth across the region — as a promising market. "Due to the rise of income levels in many African countries and the emergence of a middle class, Deloitte regards the continent as the final frontier for the global automotive industry," authors of a 2018 Deloitte report on Africa's automotive sector. "Given Africa’s population size and its positive economic outlook, automotive companies will be able to gain a competitive advantage by adopting a medium- to long-term view towards the continent.”