Syracuse bullpen stars again as Mets top Red Sox, 4-2, on Friday night

Worcester, MA – The Syracuse Mets bullpen has been the unsung hero of the 2024 season, and they gave maybe their best performance of the campaign on Friday night at Polar Park. The Syracuse bullpen tossed the final five and one-third innings of the game in scoreless fashion, giving the offense enough time to rally back for a 4-2 win at the Worcester Red Sox. The Mets have now won the last three games against the WooSox after losing the first two games against them this week.

Syracuse (53-32, 7-4) got on the board first with a run in the top of the second. Luke Ritter singled to lead off the inning, got to second on a Pablo Reyes bunt single, and then scored on a two-out RBI double from Yolmer Sánchez for a 1-0 lead. The former WooSox player has burned his old team all week long, reaching base eight times so far this week with four extra-base hits and seven runs driven in.

In the bottom of the third and fourth innings, Worcester (40-45, 5-5) pushed across single runs in each inning to take the lead for the first time on the evening at 2-1. The Red Sox used a patient eye at the plate, drawing four walks combined in those two innings to help the two tallies come across home plate. Worcester also had three hits in the innings and could have easily scored more runs, leaving five runs on base combined between the third and fourth innings. Those tough innings forced Tylor Megill’s early exit from the game. The Syracuse starting pitcher went three and one-third innings in his outing, allowing two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts but also five walks.

The Mets regained the lead in the top of the sixth on a big-time swing from the last batter in their lineup. With the bases loaded and two outs in the inning, the nine-hitter Hayden Senger took the first pitch he saw from Worcester reliever Brad Keller and smashed it all the way to the left-field wall, scoring all three runners in the process and handing Syracuse the lead back at 4-2. Senger reached twice in the ballgame and now has three different doubles this week against Worcester.

From there, the Syracuse bullpen was asked to carry the team to the finish line, and they remarkably did just that. Tyler Jay, Danny Young, Eric Orze, Wilkin Ramos, and Josh Walker combined to toss the final five and one-third innings in scoreless fashion while allowing just one total hit, making sure the Mets would win the ballgame by a 4-2 final. Those final frames did not come without stress as the WooSox left two runners on base in the fourth and left the bases loaded in the fifth. For the game, the Red Sox left 11 runners on base and have left 47 men on base combined in the first five games of this week’s six-game series. The Mets are now a stunning 41-2 this season when Syracuse leads games after six innings, an immense credit to the strong bullpen work all season long.

The Syracuse Mets are continuing their holiday week series with three games at the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, the Worcester Red Sox. The third and final game in the heart of Massachusetts is slated for a 4:05 p.m. first pitch on Saturday. Right-hander Blade Tidwell is expected to start for the Mets, countered by right-hander Cooper Criswell for the WooSox.