The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (30-13) and the Syracuse Mets (19-24) played game four on Friday night from NBT Bank Stadium. Mick Abel (5-2, 2.53 ERA) was supposed to be the starter for Lehigh Valley, but he got called up by the Philadelphia Phillies. Instead, Devin Sweet (1-0, 4.40 ERA) was on the mound for Lehigh Valley against Blade Tidwell (1-2, 4.45 ERA) of Syracuse.
In the bottom of the first inning, Syracuse took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single from Jon Singleton. Later, Syracuse catcher Hayden Senger hit Sweet’s four-seam fastball for a three-run home run at 358 feet to left-center field extending their lead to 4-0.
At the top of the third inning, Lehigh Valley got on the board when catcher Garrett Stubbs hit a bunt RBI single to pitcher Blade Tidwell scoring Justin Crawford and Syracuse’s lead was now 4-1. Moving to the top of the fourth inning, a sacrifice fly by shortstop Rodolfo Castro to left field brought home Cal Stevenson and Lehigh Valley cut the deficit to 4-2.
However, Syracuse blew the game open in the bottom of the fifth inning with Jon Singleton hitting a three-run home run and an RBI single by Gilberto Celestino made it 8-2.
At the top of the sixth inning, Lehigh Valley right fielder Oscar Mercado hit Sean Reid-Foley’s changeup for a two-run home run at 328 feet to left field and the score was now 8-4 Syracuse. It was Mercado’s fifth home run of the season.
Moving to the top of the ninth inning, Lehigh Valley second baseman Buddy Kennedy hit Ty Adcock’s slider for a solo home run at 374 feet to left field and it was now 8-5 Syracuse. Kennedy finished the night 2 for 4 with a single, a walk, one home run, and one RBI.
That was all the runs Lehigh Valley would score as their seven-game winning streak came to an end with an 8-5 loss to the Syracuse Mets.
The loss went to Lehigh Valley starter Devin Sweet. It was his first loss of the season as he pitched one inning, allowing two hits, four runs, two walks, and one strikeout throwing 35 pitches, of which 18 were strikes. The win went to Syracuse starter Blade Tidwell.
The IronPigs and Mets play game five on Saturday at 6:35 pm. Purchase IronPigs tickets today on StubHub and Viagogo.
