Syracuse Mets Game Recap: S-Mets rally falls short in 4-2 loss to IronPigs on Wednesday night

Blade Tidwell, Photo by Richard Nelson

By: Michael Tricarico, Syracuse Mets Broadcaster

Box Score: Jose Azocar; CF 1 for 3; 1 run; 1 walk; Billy McKinney; RF 0 for 2; 2 walks; 2 Ks; Jon Singleton; DH 0 for 1; 3 walks; 1 K; Joey Meneses; 1B 0 for 4; 1 K; Doovan Walton; 2B 1 for 3; Luke Ritter; LF 0 for 4; 1 run; 1 K; Jakson Reetz; C 1 for 3; 1 walk; 2 Ks; Diego Castillo; 3B 0 for 4; 3 Ks; Luis De Los Santos; SS 0 for 4; 2 Ks; Blade Tidwell; (L, 0-2) 4.2 innings; 4 runs; 4 ERs; 5 hits; 4 walks; 6 Ks; Rico Garcia;  1.1 innings; no runs; 1 walk; 2 Ks; Ty Adcock;  1 inning; no runs; Dedniel Núñez;  0.2 inning; no runs; 2 hits; 1 K; Kevin Herget;  0.1 inning; no runs; 

Syracuse, NY – The Syracuse Mets' offense went quiet in a 4-2 loss to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on an uneventful Wednesday night at Coca Cola Park. 

With Blade Tidwell on the mound, Syracuse (3-7) struggled out of the gates against a red-hot IronPigs offense that entered Wednesday leading the International League with 63 runs. Lehigh Valley (9-2) got two runners on in the bottom of the first inning when Otto Kemp got hit by a pitch and Gabriel Rincones Jr. doubled. Garrett Stubbs knocked in the pair with a two-run single that put the IronPigs in front, 2-0.

Tidwell bounced back in the second, retiring the side in order, but struggled again in the third. The Pigs added to the lead when Kemp walked, stole second base, moved to third on a wild pitch, and was driven in by a Buddy Kennedy RBI single to make it 3-0. 

The Mets scored their first run in the top of the fourth when Luke Ritter was on third base and Lehigh Valley starter Alan Rangel balked, bringing Ritter in to score and cut the Syracuse deficit to two, 3-1. 

In the fourth, the IronPigs stretched their lead back to three when Cal Stevenson doubled. Erick Brito brought Stevenson in to score with a two-out RBI single to make it 4-1. 

The Mets got a run back in the eighth but missed an opportunity to score more. José Azocar, Billy McKinney, and Jon Singleton all walked to start the inning and load the bases. Joey Meneses came up to bat with nobody out and three men on base, but the Syracuse clean-up hitter grounded into a double play, scoring Azocar to make it 4-2. With Singleton at second, Donovan Walton bumped him over to third with a single and the Mets once again had a chance to score. Syracuse had runners on the corners and the go-ahead run up to bat, but Luke Ritter flied out to center and ended the inning. 

Similar offensive struggles continued for the Mets, stranding seven runners on base and hitting one-for-four with runners in scoring position. The bright spot was the first three hitters in the lineup. Azocar, McKinney, and Singleton each got on base multiple times. 

Although it was a tumultuous start for Tidwell, the Syracuse bullpen picked him up. Rico Garcia, Ty Adcock, Dedniel Nuñez, and Kevin Herget, combined to pitch three and one-third innings of scoreless ball, allowing just three runners on base. 

Syracuse and Lehigh Valley continue their six-game series on Thursday night with game two. Right-hander Justin Hagenman is scheduled to start on the mound for the Mets opposite right-hander Seth Johnson for the IronPigs. First pitch is slated for 6:45 p.m.