BUFFALO >> The Syracuse Chiefs fell to the Buffalo Bisons in the finale of a two-game series 8-4 on Friday night at Coca-Cola Field. The Bisons scored in five straight innings from the second through the sixth to push their way to a sweep of the two-game set.
Buffalo (39-42) grabbed the lead in the second inning. Alex Hassan singled and Munenori Kawasaki doubled with two outs off Taylor Hill. Melky Mesa then drove in a run on an infield single to give the Bisons a 1-0 lead. A batter later, Jonathan Diaz singled in Kawasaki to make the score 2-0.
Syracuse (28-54) scored each of their four runs in the third and fourth innings. In the third, Darin Mastroianni and Trea Turner singled with two outs against spot starter Andrew Albers. Chiefs All-Star Jason Martinson then singled home Mastroianni and Kevin Keyes doubled in Turner and Martinson to give the Chiefs a 3-2 advantage.
Buffalo tied the game in its half of the third. Luke Scott doubled with one out and scored on Brad Glenn’s single.
The Chiefs took the lead back in the fourth. Syracuse loaded the bases with no outs after three straight singles from Mario Lisson, Ricky Hague and Dan Butler. The Chiefs No. 9 Josh Johnson followed by hitting a ground ball to third and Matt Hague stepped on third for the force out. Hague then threw home to try and cut down the runner at the plate. Catcher Sean Ochinko caught the ball, but didn’t tag Lisson after the out at third had eliminated the force, giving the Chiefs a 4-3 lead. Syracuse re-loaded the bases on a Mastroianni single, but Albers struck out Turner and Martinson to end the threat.
The lead was short-lived, as Buffalo scratched across a run in the bottom of the fourth. Hassan doubled to start the frame and was sacrificed to third. He scored on Mesa’s second RBI single, tying the game at 4-4.
The Bisons grabbed the lead for good in the fifth. Hill hit Glenn with a pitch with two outs, followed by an Ochinko single. Hassan continued his big day with his third hit, a two-run triple into the right-field corner, to give the Bisons a 6-4 lead.
Buffalo finished off its scoring in the sixth, the fifth straight inning with a Bisons run. P.J. Walters came out of the Chiefs bullpen and surrendered a double to Mesa to start the inning. Mesa was sacrificed to third by Diaz, and after a Caleb Gindl walk, scored on a Matt Hague single to extend the lead to 7-4. Luke Scott then hit a ground ball under the legs of Josh Johnson, with Gindl crossing home on the error to close out the scoring at 8-4.
After Mastroianni’s fourth-inning single, Buffalo pitchers retired 15 straight Chiefs before Dan Butler’s ninth-inning single. Butler was stranded at second base to end the game.
Syracuse returns home and opens a three-game series with the Pawtucket Red Sox Saturday at 7:05 p.m. Bruce Billings is scheduled to start for the Chiefs opposite Keith Couch for the PawSox.
