Chiefs drop pair to Braves

SYRACUSE >> The Syracuse Chiefs had their six- game win streak snapped in an 9- 5 loss to the Gwinnett Braves on Monday night and dropped their second straight to the Braves, 5- 4 on Tuesday. to 4- 0.

That was all the Braves would get off of Chiefs starter Matt Torra in his first home start of the season. Torra allowed just four runs in seven innings, walking none while striking out two.

Syracuse ( 22- 29) finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning. After a one- out double by Chris Rahl, Will Rhymes walked. With two runners on, Chris Marrero belted a double off the left- field wall, scoring both Rahl and Rhymes to cut the Braves’ lead to 4- 2.

The Chiefs plated another run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

After a leadoff walk from Zach Walters, Kris Watts singled softly into right field. Micah Owings then pinch- hit for Torra and singled into left field to slice the Gwinnett lead to 4- 3. Davis entered with a 5- 4 Syracuse lead and recorded the inning’s first out. But the Braves strung together three consecutive singles from Joey Terdoslavich, Brandon Boggs and Joe Leonard, with the last of the three scoring Terdoslavich to tie the game. Mejia then pinch- hit for shortstop Paul Janish and blasted a 2- 1 pitch over the left- field wall, giving Gwinnett an 8- 5 lead. Righthander Cole Kimball relieved Davis for the next batter, catcher Matt Pagnozzi, who knocked a home run of his own down the left- field line for the game’s final run.

Syracuse grabbed the game’s first tally in the bottom of the second inning against Braves starter Omar Poveda.

With one out, third baseman Mike Costanzo drilled a full- count pitch off the center- field wall for his first triple of the year. He scored three pitches later when shortstop Zach Walters grounded out to second base.

Gwinnett would answer with four runs in its next turn at bat. Paul Janish and Matt Pagnozzi walked against Chiefs starter Ryan Tatusko to start the top of the third inning and Poveda sacrificed the runners to second and third base. Left fielder Jose Constanza followed suit with a single to left field, scoring Janish to tie the game at one. Center fielder Todd Cunningham then added two more runs with a double into the leftcenter field gap, plating both runners for a 3- 1 lead. Cunningham would eventually score the inning’s final run on a wild pitch.

First baseman Chris Marrero helped put the Chiefs ahead in the fifth inning thanks to an unearned run. With two outs, Corey Brown reached on a fielding error by Terdoslavich at first base.

After Brown stole second base, Marrero knocked a broken- bat single into left field, scoring the Chiefs’ left fielder for a 5- 4 lead. That run would serve as the final tally until the ninth inning.

Syracuse and Gwinnett will play the second game of their four- game series on Tuesday night at 7: 00. Chiefs right- hander Matt Torra and Braves left- hander Daniel Rodriguez are the scheduled starters.