Allentown, Pennsylvania (August 31, 2023) – The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (68-59, 32-22) rallied from three different deficits and eventually walked-off the Syracuse Mets (52-74, 19-33) for a 9-8 win in 10 innings on Thursday night at Coca-Cola Park.
Kody Clemens set the wheels in motion for the ballgame with a triple leading off the last of the first inning. Weston Wilson then drove him in with a groundout.
Syracuse jumped on top in the fourth. Chase Estep worked a bases loaded walk before Jaylen Palmer plated two with a double to put Syracuse ahead 3-1.
The IronPigs answered back in the sixth. Wilson blasted a solo homer to start the inning, his 27th of the season, before Simon Muzziotti plated two with a base hit to vault the IronPigs back in front 4-3.
The Mets scored four two-out runs in the eighth to surge back. Joe Suozzi legged out an infield single to plate a run to tie the game, preceding Estep who put the Mets ahead with a two-run double. Daniel Palka then came off the bench with a base hit to plate another, making it 7-4.
The IronPigs had a quick response in the last of the eighth to tie the game. After loading the bases to start the inning, Esteban Quiroz ripped a single to center to score two, before Rafael Marchan singled to reload the bases. Cal Stevenson then worked a walk to force in a run and tie the game at 7-7.
After both teams went scoreless in the ninth, Syracuse reclaimed the lead in the 10th. Two groundouts moved the placed runner, Brandon McIlwain around, with Suozzi scoring him with a grounder to short.
A final flurry of offense ended the game for the IronPigs in the bottom of the 10th. Drew Ellis tied the game leading off the frame with a base hit to center before Aramis Garcia singled him to third. Rafael Marchan then fought off a single to left, plating Ellis, and winning the game 9-8 for the IronPigs.
Jeremy Walker (6-2) allowed just the unearned run in the 10th to get the win for the IronPigs, conceding nothing else.
Tyler Jay (0-1) failed to get an out in the 10th for the Mets, suffering the loss, allowing three straight singles resulting in two runs, one earned.
The IronPigs and Mets continue their series on Friday, September 1, with first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m.
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