Syracuse stumbles late in game and loses final series at Buffalo, 8-3

The score of the box

Buffalo, New York – The Syracuse Mets ended an ultimately triumphant week in Buffalo in disappointing fashion, losing 8-3 to the Bisons on an overcast Sunday in Western New York. The Mets still won the six-game series 4 games to 2. Syracuse has also won seven of the 12 games the Mets have played this season against the Triple-A Toronto Blue Jays.

Blade Tidwell started for Syracuse (50-30, 4-2), and the talented right-handed pitcher had a mixed bag. On the one hand, Tidwell struck out a career-high seven batters in Triple-A over 4 2/3 innings, with five of those seven strikeouts coming on swings. On the other hand, Tidwell also gave up a season-high five walks, which certainly hurt his outing. While Tidwell allowed just two hits, he also gave up three runs, with all five walks putting a steady stream of runners on base. The biggest blow against Blade was a two-run homer by Gabriel Cancel in the fourth inning, his second home run in as many days for the Bisons.

On the other side, Aaron Sanchez made a great comeback. The Buffalo (39-41, 2-4) starting pitcher allowed just one hit in seven scintillating innings, holding the Mets in check all afternoon. Unfortunately for Sanchez, the only hit he allowed was a two-run home run to Pablo Reyez, the second home run in as many days for Reyes. However, aside from that brief imperfection, it was a remarkable outing for Sanchez, made all the more remarkable when you consider how poorly he pitched in the series opener on Tuesday night. The 31-year-old right-hander was injured for eight runs in 2 2/3 innings Tuesday, with four home runs allowed.

The game remained 3–2 until the eighth inning, when the game was finally decided on missed opportunities by the Syracuse Mets. The Mets tied the game in the top of the eighth, when an RBI single by Luisangel Acuña scored the tying run and still left the bases loaded with one out. However, Syracuse did not score again in the top of the eighth, leaving the game tied and allowing Buffalo to mount its winning rally in the bottom of the eighth.

Aided by three walks by the Syracuse Mets pitchers, an error and three hits, the Bisons scored five runs to make it 8-3. That 8-3 score would become the final score. The big blow in the bottom of the eighth inning for Buffalo was a two-run single by Phil Clarke who finished the game with three singles, a walk, a run scored and three RBIs.

The Syracuse Mets now return home to play a three-game series against the Worcester Red Sox, the Boston Red Sox, in Triple-A. The first game of the three-game series is scheduled for a 6:35 p.m. first pitch on Monday.