Falu, Skole launch Chiefs past Tribe, 11-5

Syracuse, NY (August 17, 2017) - The Syracuse Chiefs' offense came alive for 11 runs on 14 hits to beat the Indianapolis Indians, 11-5, on Friday night at NBT Bank Stadium. Irving Falu and Matt Skole had sensational days for the Chiefs. Falu belted two home runs and had three RBIs. Skole posted two doubles, a home run and three RBIs as well in his second game back from the Disabled List. Syracuse as a team tallied a season-high nine extra-base hits in the win. 

Syracuse (47-78) opened up the scoring with a five-run bottom of the first inning. Zach Collier led off the frame with a single off Tyler Eppler to center. Two batters later, Neftali Soto stretched out a triple to center, plating Collier and putting Syracuse up 1-0. Brandon Snyder followed with a walk. Skole followed with a ground-rule double on a fly ball to center field. Soto scored and Snyder moved to third. Spencer Kieboom then hit a ground ball to third, but the throw hit off the glove of first baseman Joey Terdoslavich to allow Kieboom to reach on the error. Snyder scored and Skole moved to third on the play. The Chiefs weren't done yet, as Michael Almanzar then roped a double down the left-field line, plating Skole and Kieboom and giving the Chiefs a 5-0 lead.
 
Indianapolis (68-56) answered with a two-run top of the second. Terdoslavich singled to right off John Simms to start the inning and Erich Weiss walked. Jacob Stallings followed with a single to center, plating Terdoslavich and moving Weiss to third. Weiss then scored on a sacrifice fly hit by Gift Ngoepe to right, making the score 5-2.
 
The Chiefs grabbed both runs back in the bottom of the second. With one out, Falu ripped a single to right, his first of three hits on the day. Falu moved to second on a ground out, and then Snyder smoked a double to left, scoring Falu and extending Syracuse's lead 6-2. Skole then picked up his second double of the game on a ground ball down the right-field line, scoring Snyder and putting Syracuse up 7-2.

Syracuse tallied two additional runs in the bottom of the fourth. Collier led off the inning with an infield single. The next batter, Falu, blasted a fastball to right for his eighth home run of the season, giving Syracuse a 9-2 lead.
 
Indianapolis got two runs back in the fifth on Danny Ortiz's two-out, two-run home run to right-center field, making the score 9-4.
 
Falu continued his strong performance in the bottom of the sixth. With one out and on a 3-2 pitch, the veteran homered to right once again for a 10-4 Chiefs lead. Falu's nine home runs this season are the most in his career. 
 
The Indians picked up a run in the top of the seventh. Newman singled again to lead off the inning. Newman then stole second and former Chief Christopher Bostick smacked a double to left, scoring Newman and putting the Indians within 10-5.
 
Syracuse retrieved that run back in the bottom of the seventh. Skole continued his huge game with a home run to right. Skole's eighth home run of the season pushed the lead to 11-5.
 
The Chiefs return to action Saturday night against the Indians at 7:05 p.m. A.J. Cole is slated to start for Syracuse while Clay Holmes is set to pitch for Indianapolis.