Syracuse falters late and drops series finale in Buffalo, 8-3, on Sunday afternoon

Buffalo, NY – The Syracuse Mets finished an ultimately triumphant week in Buffalo in disappointing fashion, losing 8-3 to the Bisons on an overcast Sunday in Western New York. The Mets still won the six-game series by a four games to two count. Syracuse has also won seven of the 12 games the Mets have played against the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays this season.

Blade Tidwell got the start for Syracuse (50-30, 4-2), and it ended up being a mixed bag for the talented right-handed thrower. On the one hand, Tidwell fanned a Triple-A career-high seven batters in his four and two-thirds innings, with five of those seven strikeouts of the swinging variety. On the other hand, Tidwell also issued a season-high five walks, which certainly harmed his outing. While Tidwell surrendered just two hits, he also allowed three runs as the five walks put a steady stream of runners on base. The biggest blow against Blade was a two-run homer by Gabriel Cancel in the fourth inning, his second home run in as many days for the Bisons.

On the other side, it was a brilliant bounce-back outing for Aaron Sanchez. The Buffalo (39-41, 2-4) starter allowed just one hit in seven scintillating innings, holding the Mets in check all afternoon long. Unfortunately for Sanchez, the only hit he gave up was a two-run homer to Pablo Reyez, the second homer in as many days for Reyes. However, aside from that brief blemish, it was a sterling outing for Sanchez, made all the more remarkable when you consider how poorly he pitched in the series opener on Tuesday night. The 31-year-old right-hander was bruised for eight runs on two and two-thirds innings on Tuesday, with four home runs allowed.

It remained a 3-2 game until the eighth inning, when the game was ultimately decided on missed opportunities by the Syracuse Mets. The Mets did tie the game in the top of the eighth, when an RBI single from Luisangel Acuña scored the tying run and still left the bases loaded with one out. However, Syracuse didn’t score again in the top of the eighth, leaving the game tied and allowing Buffalo to mount its winning rally in the bottom of the eighth.

Aided by three walks from the Syracuse Mets pitching staff plus an error and three hits, the Bisons scored five runs to make it an 8-3 game. That 8-3 score would end up being the final score. The big blow of the bottom of the eighth for Buffalo was a two-run single from Phil Clarke who finished the game with three singles, a walk, a run scored, and three runs driven in.

The Syracuse Mets are now coming back home to play three games against the Triple-A of the Boston Red Sox, the Worcester Red Sox. Game one of the three-game set is slated for a 6:35 p.m. first pitch on Monday.