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Allentown, Pa. — Behind a solid start from Luis Moreno and a dominant day of offense, the Syracuse Mets took down the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 8-1, on Friday night at Coca-Cola Park.
Despite the Mets’ victory, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre also won on Friday night to clinch the International League second half title for the RailRiders.
Syracuse wasted no time getting started on offense in the top of the first inning. With two outs, Ryan Clifford doubled, Jared Young walked, and Carson Benge smacked an RBI single to put the Mets on top at 1-0.
After a pair of scoreless innings, Syracuse blew the game open in the fourth. Young singled to start things off, then back-to-back triples by Benge and José Azocar stretched the lead to 3-0.
Next, with Azocar at third, Luke Ritter ripped an RBI single to extend the advantage, 4-0. Jett Williams crushed a two-run homer to left field, ballooning the lead to 6-0.
In the sixth, the Mets added to their advantage. After walks by Kevin Parada and Yonny Hernandez, major league rehabber Tyrone Taylor hit an RBI single to make it a 7-0 ballgame.
For good measure, Syracuse tacked on one more run in the eighth. Williams tripled, and Taylor grounded out to score Williams and grow the lead to 8-0.
Lehigh Valley’s only run was scored in the bottom of the eighth inning on a solo home run by Johan Rojas.
On the mound, Moreno pitched a Triple-A-high four and one-third scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Next, Alex Carrillo finished the fifth and tossed a clean sixth, only allowing one hit and striking out three batters.
Richard Lovelady pitched a scoreless seventh inning, Oliver Ortega allowed one run in the eighth and Ty Adcock closed the door with an eight-pitch ninth inning.
Syracuse (76-72, 45-28) continues its series against Lehigh Valley (86-60, 40-32) on Saturday night.
Right-hander Justin Hagenman is scheduled to start for the Mets with right-hander Gabe Mosser set to go for the IronPigs. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.