Buffalo, NY - The Syracuse Mets once led, 5-2, but the Buffalo Bisons scored the game’s final six runs to rally and win, 8-5, and increase their winning streak to 12 games on Friday night at Sahlen Field.
Buffalo (68-41) got on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Forrest Wall worked a leadoff walk, and with Tyler White at the plate, Wall stole second base. Tyler White then singled, moving Wall to third. Richard Ureña followed with a double, scoring Wall to give the Bisons a 1-0 lead.
Buffalo added another run in the second. Logan Warmoth worked a one-out walk, and then Wall singled, moving Warmoth to third. White followed with a sacrifice fly, scoring Warmoth to make it 2-0 Bisons.
Syracuse (42-67) responded with a big top of the third inning to take the lead. Cheslor Cuthbert drew a leadoff walk, and then Martin Cervenka grounded out, but Cuthbert moved to second base on the play. José Peraza then singled, advancing Cuthbert to third. Mark Payton followed with a walk to load the bases. Next, Wilfredo Tovar delivered with a two-run double to tie the game at two. Khalil Lee followed, giving the Mets a 3-2 lead with an RBI double to left field.
In the top of the fifth, Syracuse increased its lead. Tovar led off with a single, and Lee walked. After David Rodriguez struck out, Blankenhorn walked to load the bases. With David Thompson batting, a wild pitch by Bisons pitcher Ryan Borucki brought home Tovar to make it 4-2 Mets. Then, Thompson reached on a fielding error by the second baseman Cullen Large to increase the lead to three, 5-2.
Buffalo would tie the game in the bottom of the fifth. Wall hit a leadoff double, and then White struck out. Ureña then singled, moving Wall to third base. Gregory Polanco followed with a one-run double to make it a 5-3 game with the Mets still in front. Next, Large connected on a two-run double to tie the game, 5-5.
In the bottom of the sixth, Nash Knight led off the frame being hit by a pitch. After Warmoth struck out, both Wall and White were walked to load the bases. Ureña then hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Knight to give the Bisons a 6-5 lead. With Polanco at the plate, Syracuse reliever Bradley Roney threw a wild pitch, allowing Wall to score as Buffalo increased its lead to two, 7-5.
Buffalo added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth thanks to a White solo home run for an 8-5 advantage.
With the Bisons still leading by three, Buffalo reliever Trent Thornton came out of the bullpen to pitch the top of the ninth. The 27-year-old delivered a 1-2-3 inning to earn the save.
The Mets and Bisons return to Sahlen Field on Saturday for the fifth game of the six-game series. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.
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