BUFFALO, N.Y. – One big inning was enough for the Syracuse Mets to split the first two games of their series with the Buffalo Bisons, thanks to a 10-2 victory over Buffalo on Wednesday night at Sahlen Field.
Syracuse was able to use a lead off walk to score the game’s first run and take a 1-0 advantage. Yonny Hernandez walked to start the top of the third inning and came around to score on an RBI fielder’s choice by Jose Siri. Siri would reach base on the ground ball and score three batters later thanks to a Ryan Clifford sacrifice fly that extended the Mets lead to 2-0 in the top of the third.
Siri extended the Mets lead to three runs with an RBI groundout with one out in the top of the third inning. The Major League outfielder added his second RBI in as many innings on a ground ball to Bisons’ first baseman Riley Tirotta that scored Jose Azocar for a 3-0 lead. Francisco Alvarez cleared the bases with a two-out grand slam that ballooned Syracuse’s lead to 7-0 in the fourth.
Former Bisons’ infielder Luis De Los Santos helped provide the offense for the Mets in the top of the fifth inning to add an RBI on his second hit of the game. His second broken bat base hit of the game was a single to center field that scored a run. Kevin Parada drew a lead off walk to begin the inning against Andrew Bash and scored to extend Syracuse’s lead to 8-0 halfway through the game.
Buffalo was able to cut into their deficit with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Each of the first three batters reached base against Luis Moreno to begin the last of the fifth. Michael Stefanic drew a walk and Josh Rivera followed with a base hit to center field. Both base runners scored on a two-run single by RJ Schreck that cut the Bisons deficit to 8-2. Buffalo brought seven batters to the plate in the inning overall.
Three Bisons relievers pitched a combined five and one-third innings, allowing just three runs to Syracuse. Buddy Kennedy re-joined the Bisons on Wednesday and added a pair of base hits in the loss.
The two teams are scheduled to meet for a Thursday afternoon contest starting at 1:05 p.m. at Sahlen Field. Pregame coverage on The Bet 1520 AM, the Audacy app, and Bisons.com begins at 12:45 p.m. with the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Famer Duke McGuire and the ‘Voice of the Bisons’ Pat Malacaro.
