Minor League Recap

Syracuse celebrates Saturday night in style, topping Buffalo, 8-3

The Syracuse Mets grabbed their second win in as many nights, taking down the Buffalo Bisons by an 8-3 final on a warm and sunny Saturday evening at NBT Bank Stadium. The Mets now have the chance to split the six-game series with a win on Sunday afternoon.

Syracuse (58-82) got off to an excellent start when Dominic Smith smacked a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to give Syracuse a 2-0 lead. Smith also homered in Saturday night’s game and is in the midst of an outstanding week at the plate. The 27-year-old has gone a combined 10-for-23 with two doubles, three home runs, and eight runs driven in.

In the top of the fourth, Buffalo (72-66) tied it up. Davis Schneider and Yoshi Tsutsugo got on base via a single and walk respectively, and they came home later in the inning on a two-run double from Cullen Large to knot the game up, 2-2. However, those would prove to be the only pair of runs that the Bisons would score off of Syracuse’s starter, Harol González, who tossed an impressive outing. The right-hander went five innings of two-run ball, surrendering just three hits and two walks while fanning four batters.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Mets scratched across a run to take a 3-2 lead into the second half of the ballgame. Daniel Palka reached on an error to start the inning and moved to second when Yolmer Sánchez was hit by a pitch. After Nick Dini struck out, Khalil Lee came to the plate and hit a chopper on the middle of the infield that looked like it was a groundball destined to become an inning-ending double play. However, Otto Lopez’s relay throw to first base was errant, allowing Palka to dash home with the go-ahead run for the Mets and a 3-2 edge.

Buffalo promptly rallied right back and tied the game in the top of the sixth inning. Schneider doubled leading off the frame and later scored on a two-out, RBI single from John Aiello to tie the game, 3-3. All three of Buffalo’s runs on Saturday night came with two outs. It was Aiello’s first RBI of the week.

It remained a 3-3 game into the bottom of the sixth when Syracuse had a five-run flurry up its sleeve to put the win firmly in their back pocket. The Mets would send ten men to the plate in the fateful sixth inning, cracking out four hits combined with an error and two walks to score the five runs that would prove to be the difference in the game.

Some highlights from the sixth inning: Yolmer Sánchez hit a two-run, go-ahead home run that made it a 5-3 game. He has hits in nine out of his last ten games. Khalil Lee had a double in the frame, his first in what would eventually be a two-double evening. Finally, Francisco Álvarez drove in a run with a single. He has hits in three of the four games he has played in so far this week, driving in two runs in the process.

While the Mets offense provided the thunder, the Mets bullpen provided the lightning to officially put the win in the column for Syracuse. Josh Walker, Adonis Medina, Drew Smith, and Michel Otanez combined to work the final four innings of the game in one-run fashion, walking just two batters with six hits allowed and six strikeouts. Smith was impressive once again, tossing a scoreless rehab inning with one hit allowed and one strikeout. Smith pitched three times this week at NBT Bank Stadium, which proved to be three separate scoreless relief innings.

Syracuse plays its final six-game home series of the series against the Buffalo Bisons all week long at NBT Bank Stadium. The final game in the series is set for a 1:05 p.m. first pitch on Sunday afternoon.

Ponies Fall at Home to Yard Goats on Saturday Night

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies fell 7-0 to the Hartford Yard Goats (33-34, 76-60) on Saturday night at Mirabito Stadium. Hartford has now taken three of the first five games of the series.

Daniel Montano brought home the first run of the game just two batters in after Isaac Collins reached on a double and came around to score. Hartford added another run in the fourth on an Aaron Schunk RBI double off Jose Chacin (4-9).

Brenton Doyle’s three-run home run off the top of the left field wall into the Hartford bullpen put the Yard Goats ahead 5-0. The scoring was capped off with two more runs in the ninth courtesy of RBI singles from Montano and Grant Lavigne.

Mitch Kilkenny (5-7) picked up the win for the Yard Goats pitching six shutout innings giving up six hits and a walk while striking out three.

Binghamton (25-41, 53-82) will conclude their season against Hartford. Sunday’s season finale is scheduled for 1:05 PM

Cyclones Season Comes to an End With 5-4 Loss to Aberdeen

The 2022 Brooklyn Cyclones season came to an end on Friday evening as they fell to the Aberdeen IronBirds in Game Three by the score of 5-4. The IronBirds will now advance to take on the Bowling Green Hot Rods in the South Atlantic Championship Series, starting Sunday afternoon in Kentucky.

The Cyclones drew first blood in the top of the 4th when JT Schwartz reached on an error to start the frame and moved up 90 feet on a Jose Peroza single that put two men aboard with nobody out. Stanley Consuegra took advantage of the scoring chance and lined a double into the left field corner to score Schwartz with the game’s first run. That would put an end to the night for Aberdeen starter Houston Roth as Kade Strowd took over on the mound. The fire balling righthander then struck out Jose Mena and William Lugo to strike out before Shervyen Newton grounded out to end the inning with Brooklyn up 1-0.

Aberdeen answered quickly, getting even in the bottom of the frame when TT Bowens lined a two-out single up the middle that scored Max Wagner from second to get things back to even after four.

But it would be the bottom of the fifth that proved to be the difference in the game. Connor Pavolony led off the frame with a single and Frederick Bencosme followed with a bunt single. So after just two pitches in the bottom of the fifth, Aberdeen had runners on first and second with nobody out. Junior Santos, Brooklyn’s starter on Friday night, then struck out Luis Valdez. But strike three went for a wild pitch, allowing runners to advance to second and third. The ‘Clones then intentionally walked Dylan Beavers to load the bases before Santos was able to strike out Max Wagner for out number two. Heston Kjerstad then stepped to the plate and hit a pop up behind third base that was perfectly placed, landing between three Cyclones fielders for a bloop double that scored a pair and gave Aberdeen a 3-1 lead.

That would put an end to the night for Junior Santos as Mike Vasil came on in relief with runners on second and third and two outs. Vasil then uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Beavers to score before TT Bowens added his second RBI single of the night to extend the IronBirds lead to 5-1.

Brooklyn responded quickly, cutting the deficit in half in the top of the sixth courtesy of a two-run home run off the bat of Stanley Consuegra that made it 5-3. The ‘Clones got even closer in the top of the 8th when Jose Peroza hit a solo shot of his own off the batter’s eye in centerfield that cut the deficit to just a skinny run at 5-4.

In the ninth, the Cyclones had a golden opportunity to get even against IronBirds closer Xavier Moore, after William Lugo led off the inning with a booming double off the left field wall. But Shervyen Newton and Matt O’Neill struck out before Matt Rudick grounded out to end the game and the season.

Mets to face Dunedin in FSL Championship Series

The St. Lucie Mets will battle the Dunedin Blue Jays in the Florida State League Championship Series.

Game 1 of the best-of-three series is Sunday in Dunedin at 6:30 p.m. The series will shift to Clover Park for game 2 on Tuesday at 6:10 p.m. If necessary a deciding game 3 will be Wednesday at Clover Park at 6:10 p.m.