Bisons late rally comes up short in extra innings to Syracuse

BUFFALO, NY- The Buffalo Bisons were unable to hold on in extra innings against the Syracuse Mets, losing 8-5 on Saturday night at Sahlen Field.

Despite losing in 10 innings Gabriel Cancel made a strong impact on Saturday night. Cancel would go 2-4 at bat with one run and three RBIs. His strong night at the plate included blasting his first home run since August 15, 2022, in affiliated play.

Carlos Cortes spearheaded the Syracuse offense going 2-5 at the plate while scoring two runs and notching four RBIs in the 8-5 win.

The Mets wasted no time getting on the board with a leadoff home run. This was courtesy of Luisangel Acuna who blasted a solo homer on the first pitch of the game for his fifth home run of the season.

Syracuse added another solo home run after three scoreless innings. Carlos Cortes gave the Mets a 2-0 lead with his fifth home run of the season.

Buffalo really struggled to get on base Saturday night. This was in large part due to Syracuse pitcher Joey Lucchesi. The Bisons could only manage two hits on Lucchesi in 6.1 innings of work. He would also notch eight punchouts to lead the Syracuse pitching staff.

After going scoreless through the first seven innings Cancel would break the game open by blasting a three-run homer to give Buffalo their first lead of the day. Cancel would also get his first, second and third RBI of the season in the bottom of the seventh.

Riley Tirotta and Damiano Palmegiani both scored on the play. This would also be Cancel’s first home run in nearly two years of affiliated baseball that could not come at a more crucial moment.

Buffalo would not hold the lead for long, Pablo Reyes responded with a home run of his own. The two-run homer that also scored Mike Brosseau gave the Mets a 4-3 lead in the top of the eighth.

The Bisons pitching staff was crucial on Saturday night in keeping the game a low scoring affair. Mike Mayers and Brandon Eisert led the Bisons with Mayers pitching 3.1 innings as the starter. Mayers would only give up one run, four hits and would throw five strikeouts in the win over Syracuse.

Eisert would give up one run, two hits and throw four strikeouts in 2.2 innings of relief. Hayden Juenger would pitch 1.2 innings of relief for Buffalo giving up two hits and notching a strikeout.

Tirotta would tie up the game 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth with a solo home run, Tirotta’s eighth homer of the season started the half inning for Buffalo.

Syracuse would score the winning runs in the top of the 10th. The first of the four-run inning came from an RBI single from Brosseau. The Mets extended their lead further with a three-run homer from Cortes.

Leo Jimenez would drive in one more run for Buffalo in the bottom of the tenth on a groundout that scored Miguel Hiraldo. It would not be enough to bring the Bisons a win in extra innings. Tirotta scored two runs for the ballclub and notched a hit and a RBI in three at bats at Sahlen Field.

The Bisons will close out their second series against Syracuse Sunday afternoon. The first pitch is expected for 1:05 pm and Aaron Sanchez is expected to start.