Butto Shines as Syracuse Snaps Losing Skid with 2-1 Win Over Rochester in Ten Innings on Thursday Night
September 8, 2022 – International League (IL) – Syracuse Mets News Release
Syracuse, NY – The Syracuse Mets snapped a six-game losing streak in style on Thursday night, walking off as 2-1 winners in ten innings over the Rochester Red Wings on a sunny night at NBT Bank Stadium. Mets starting pitcher José Butto starred on the night with seven scoreless innings.
It was a classic pitcher’s duel throughout the night, as each starter dazzled in their outing. Joan Adon tossed a gem for Rochester (58-74), hurling five scoreless innings on just three hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Adon has made two stellar starts against the Mets this season, combining to work ten innings without allowing an earned run.
On the other side, Butto was even better for Syracuse (54-78), working one of the best starts of his career. Butto tossed seven scoreless innings on just four hits with three strikeouts and not a single walk. The right-hander finished with a dramatic flourish. With Jake Alu on second base and two outs, Donovan Casey hit a high chopper to third base that backed up Mark Vientos while he was fielding the ball. Vientos bounced the throw to first, allowing Casey to reach base. However, on the play, Alu got greedy and tried to score all the way from second on the plate. Daniel Palka made a heads-up play, whipping a throw to home plate to nab Alu and clinch the sterling scoreless outing for Butto.
The Mets scratched across the first run of the game and took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth. After a one-out double from Palka, Jake Mangum came to the plate and promptly punched a single into center field to score Palka and plate the game’s first run. Mangum finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate. He has driven in four combined runs over the past two games.
It remained 1-0 all the way until the top of the ninth inning when the Red Wings managed to tie the game at the very last moment. With nobody on base and two outs, Alu smacked a double to left field to keep the game going. Nick Banks then singled softly into right field, scoring Alu and tying the game up, 1-1. R.J. Alvarez eventually got out of the inning with the game still tied at one, but the damage was done. Alvarez is now 1-for-7 in save opportunities for the Mets this season.
Entering the tenth tied at one, the Rochester Red Wings once again got aggressive on the basepaths and were promptly burned. Donovan Casey started the inning as the free runner at second with nobody out, remaining there after Taylor Gushue lined out to start the inning. Adrian Sanchez then came to the plate and struck out on a breaking ball that bounced in the dirt. The ball bounded away from Nick Meyer, and as Syracuse’s catcher retrieved the ball and threw to first to complete the strikeout, Casey decided to sprint around third and try to score the go-ahead run. Once again, Palka was up to the task, throwing a perfect strike to home plate that cut down Casey and kept it at a 1-1 game into the bottom of the tenth inning.
From there, Syracuse walked off winners. Meyer started the inning as the free runner at second base with nobody out, promptly advancing to third when Travis Jankowski sacrificed him over via a bunt. Rochester played the matchup game, walking consecutive batters to pitch to the left-handed hitting Dominic Smith with a left-handed pitcher Francisco Perez on the mound. Smith made it a moot point, lofting a fly ball deep enough into right field for a sacrifice fly to score Meyer and give Syracuse a 2-1 win.
Syracuse continues its six-game series against the Rochester Red Wings on Friday night. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. Right-hander Jesus Vargas is scheduled to start for the Mets, opposed by right-hander Franklyn Kilome for the Red Wings.
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