PREVIEW: SYRACUSE AT LEHIGH VALLEY

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (Interstat) — The Syracuse Mets and Lehigh Valley IronPigs play the second game of a six-game series Thursday at Coca-Cola Park, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. under clear skies and temperatures near 80 degrees.

Syracuse (38-37) enters with a one-game edge over .500, while Lehigh Valley (34-41) sits seven games below the break-even mark. The Mets took Tuesday’s series opener 9-6 before the IronPigs answered with a 3-0 shutout Wednesday.

Outfielder Tyrone Taylor has been a catalyst for Syracuse. In Tuesday’s win, Taylor went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs. He also drove in two runs June 21 against Norfolk. Taylor will look to continue his run production against a Lehigh Valley pitching staff that held Syracuse scoreless on five hits Wednesday.

Shortstop Dylan Moore is a key bat for the IronPigs. Despite Tuesday’s loss, Moore homered and drove in four runs. He has hits in eight of his last nine games, though he has managed only one hit in each of those contests, including an 0-for-5 June 13 at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Moore’s power potential makes him a threat in the middle of the lineup.

The clubs have split their season series 4-4. Syracuse took three of four at home from April 28-May 3, while Lehigh Valley earned a split of the first two games this week.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 5-4 Syracuse win.

Following Thursday’s game, the series continues Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Coca-Cola Park. Syracuse then returns home for a six-game set against Worcester starting June 30. Lehigh Valley travels to Rochester for a six-game road trip beginning the same day.