SYRACUSE (Interstat) — Jefferson Rojas homered and drove in three runs as the Syracuse Mets edged the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 9-8 on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at NBT Bank Stadium in Class AAA International League play. Syracuse improved to 76-67, while Lehigh Valley fell to 66-77. The game took 3 hours, 5 minutes and drew 3,356 fans.

Rojas finished 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs for Syracuse. Eric Wagaman added two hits and two RBIs. Kameron Misner went 2 for 5 with a home run and four RBIs for Lehigh Valley. Gabriel Rincones Jr. homered and drove in two for the IronPigs, who had 12 hits to Syracuse’s 11.

Lehigh Valley started quickly against Syracuse pitching. After Gabriel Rincones Jr. grounded out, Otto Kemp doubled to left field. Kameron Misner followed with a two-run homer to right field, giving the IronPigs an early lead. Keaton Anthony singled, but Syracuse escaped further damage in the first.

Syracuse answered in the bottom of the first. D’Andre Smith singled, Jefferson Rojas was hit by a pitch, and MJ Melendez walked to load the bases. Vidal Bruján singled in Smith, and Eric Wagaman doubled to right field to score Rojas and Melendez. Ryan Clifford struck out and Christian Cairo grounded out, but the Mets had turned the early deficit into a lead.

Lehigh Valley regained control in the second. Nick Biddison walked, Jordan Dissin singled, and Otto Kemp walked to load the bases. Misner singled to right field to drive in Biddison and Dissin. Anthony then singled to center field to score Kemp, and Carter Kieboom walked to load the bases again. Robert Moore popped out, ending the threat, but the IronPigs had moved in front.

The Mets responded with a four-run second inning that changed the game’s momentum. Kevin Parada walked, D’Andre Smith singled, and Rojas doubled to center field to score Parada. Ronny Mauricio then reached on a fielder’s choice that brought in Smith and Rojas, with Mauricio advancing to second on a throwing error by shortstop Robert Moore. A sacrifice fly by Bruján scored Mauricio, and Wagaman singled before the inning ended. Syracuse led after the rally.

Lehigh Valley tied the game in the third. Jordan Dissin singled, and Gabriel Rincones Jr. homered to right-center field to make it a tie. Syracuse moved back ahead in the bottom half when Rojas homered to left-center field.

The IronPigs tied it again in the fourth. Keaton Anthony walked, Carter Kieboom walked, and Robert Moore flied out. Nick Biddison singled to right field to score Anthony, but Kieboom was thrown out at third base on the play.

Syracuse took the lead for good in the fifth. Kevin Parada doubled to right field, advanced to third on D’Andre Smith’s flyout, and scored on Rojas’s sacrifice fly to center field. That run proved decisive.

Syracuse’s bullpen protected the lead. Brian Metoyer earned the win with two innings of relief, allowing one hit and no earned runs while striking out four. He improved to 7-2. Zach Franklin recorded the save with 1 1/3 innings, giving up one hit and no earned runs while striking out two. Matt Turner also worked a scoreless inning with one strikeout.

Tucker Davidson took the loss for Lehigh Valley, falling to 5-6. He pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowed four hits and two earned runs, and struck out one. Lou Trivino III and Kirby Snead each threw a scoreless inning of relief. Trivino allowed one hit and struck out two, while Snead did not allow a hit.

The loss continued a difficult stretch for Lehigh Valley, which had dropped recent games against Syracuse and Worcester. The Mets improved their position with the one-run victory and continued a strong run at home. The teams are scheduled to meet again Friday, Sept. 18, at Syracuse.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Syracuse Mets 5, Lehigh Valley IronPigs 4. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Syracuse with a 60.5 percent probability to win.