Syracuse pummels Lehigh Valley, 13-6, on Thursday night

Allentown, PA - The Syracuse Mets erupted for their most runs in more than a month as Syracuse beat the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 13-6, on Thursday night at Coca-Cola Park. The last time the Mets scored 13 runs in a game was July 19th against Rochester.

Syracuse (70-57, 24-29) jumped on the board in the top of the second inning. Jackie Bradley Jr. reached base on an error, and Carlos Cortes singled to put runners at first and third base. Mike Brosseau followed with a single down the third-base line, scoring Bradley Jr. for a 1-0 Mets lead. Yolmer Sanchez then tripled of the right-field wall, bringing home both Cortes and Brosseau for a 3-0 advantage. Two batters later, Luisangel Acuña hit a sacrifice fly out to center field as Sanchez scored for a 4-0 edge.

The Mets added to their lead in the fifth. Acuña singled, stole second base, and scored later in the inning on a DJ Stewart single to make it 5-0. After Ritter walked, Syracuse had two on base with two outs for Cortes who followed with a double down the left-field line to score Stewart and Ritter to give the Mets a touchdown lead, 7-0.

Lehigh Valley (60-65, 26-26) finally scored in the sixth inning. Darick Hall worked a one-out walk, and then with two outs, Kody Clemens lofted a fly ball over the wall in right-center field for a two-run home run to trim the Syracuse lead to five, 7-2.

Those were the only runs Mets starting pitcher Mike Vasil allowed. The right-hander pitched six efficient innings of four-hit, two-run baseball. Vasil has pitched at least six innings while allowing three runs or fewer in seven of his last ten starts. On Thursday, Vasil allowed just two walks and struck out two batters, throwing 87 pitches, including 55 strikes.

Syracuse's offense put the game away in the seventh. Drew Gilbert led off the frame with a no-doubt homer over the right-field wall to make it an 8-2 ballgame. That home run was Gilbert's fourth homer in his last eight games. Later in the inning, the Mets loaded the bases with two outs. Sanchez collected an RBI single to make it 9-2, and then Logan Porter pummeled a grand slam, home run over the left-field fence for a 13-2 Syracuse advantage.

Lehigh Valley did manage four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Syracuse's lead was never in danger as the Mets won, 13-6.

Every Syracuse player in the lineup reached base in Thursday's game, and eight of the nine players had hits. Ritter, the only player without a hit, walked three times. Seven of the Mets' nine players also had RBIs.

Syracuse and Lehigh Valley continue their six-game series on Friday night with the fourth game of the series. Right-hander Joander Suarez is scheduled to make his Triple-A debut for the Mets against right-hander Seth Johnson for the IronPigs. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.