PRESS RELEASE - Mets split Saturday doubleheader with RailRiders

 

Moosic, PA - The Syracuse Mets split a Saturday doubleheader with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders at PNC Field, losing the first game, 4-0, before scoring four runs in the sixth inning of game two en route to a 6-3 win. In game one, Noah Syndergaard made his second Major League rehab start for Syracuse. Syndergaard pitched another scoreless frame, allowing one hit with no walks while striking out two batters. The 29-year-old threw 12 pitches with 10 strikes. In Syndergaard’s two rehab starts, he’s delivered two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit with no walks. 

In game one, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (70-51) put a pair of runs on the board in the bottom of the second. Greg Allen hit a one-out single, and then Armando Alvarez flied out. With Max Burt at the plate, Allen stole second base. Later in his at-bat, Burt hit a two-out single to move Allen to third base. Andrew Velazquez followed with a two-run double to put the RailRiders up, 2-0.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre added a run in the fourth when Oswaldo Cabrera hit a leadoff solo home run to extend the RailRiders lead to 3-0.

In the bottom of the sixth, Ryan LaMarre worked a one-out walk. While Cabrera struck out, LaMarre swiped second base. That brought up Greg Allen, who hit an RBI single to make it a 4-0 RailRiders advantage, which was the final score.

In game two, the RailRiders struck first again, this time in the third inning where Estevan Florial gave Scranton/Wilkes-Barre a 1-0 lead with a leadoff home run.

Syracuse (49- 71-1) scored its first run of the day in the top of the fifth. Travis Blankenhorn hit a leadoff single. After Wilfredo Tovar struck out, Drew Jackson hit a go-ahead, two-run homer to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. 

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre tied the game up in the bottom of the fifth with Florial’s second home run of the game, a solo shot to make it a 2-2 game. 

Vance Worley got the start in game two for the Mets and delivered four innings. The right-hander allowed two runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out two.

The Mets erupted for four runs in the top of the sixth. Mark Vientos hit a leadoff single, and then Khalil Lee walked. After David Thompson struck out, Travis Blankenhorn hit a one-run single to score Vientos and give Syracuse the lead back, 3-2. Tovar followed with an RBI single of his own to bring home Lee and make it 4-2 Mets. After Drew Jackson grounded out, Mason Williams hit a two-run single to extend the lead to four, 6-2.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre made things interesting, however, in the bottom of the seventh. Florial hit a leadoff single, and then with Cabrera at the plate, Florial stole second base. After Cabrera worked a walk, Chris Gittens popped out. Then Rob Brantly hit a one-out single to load the bases. LaMarre followed with a walk with the bases loaded to bring home Florial and bring the RailRiders within three, 6-3 Mets. Tom Hackimer then came out of the bullpen to replace Stephen Nogosek. Hackimer retired Socrates Brito via a line out and then struck out Trey Amburgey to end the game to secure Syracuse’s 6-3 victory.

The Mets and RailRiders return to PNC Field on Sunday for the series finale. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. in the fifth game of the Triple-A Final Stretch.