Newcomer Taylor, Stalwart Laird Lead Chiefs' Comeback

By Cody Love

(SYRACUSE N.Y.) - Michael Taylor is batting 1.000 to start in Triple-A.  The Washington Nationals' number-three ranked prospect (and top ranked position player) looked right at home in his debut for the Syracuse Chiefs.

Taylor went 2-for-2 with two walks, and his double in the bottom of the seventh drove in the winning run as the Chiefs beat the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 7-6 at NBT Bank Stadium Monday night.

The Nationals have shuffled outfielders in their organization, calling on the Chiefs' top hitter this year, Steven Souza, Jr. to replace an injured Nate McClouth, on Sunday night.  This left an opening for Taylor.

His night got off to an inauspicious start, as he made a great catch on a fly ball hit by Scranton’s Robert Refsnyder, but mishandled the throw, allowing a run to score.  After that, he calmed down and played a great game.

“I felt pretty good once I got settled in,” Taylor said, “I let it speed up a little bit in the first inning, but after I was able to relax, and get that first AB out of the way.  I felt pretty good.”

Taylor was happy that his team pulled the comeback, and that he played a key role.

“I was definitely excited,” Taylor said, “and thrilled that we got that winning run.”

The Chiefs' offense might never have gotten off the ground at all on Monday if it weren’t for the bat of third baseman Brandon Laird.  RailRiders pitcher Nik Turley had not allowed a hit through 3 and 1/3 innings, and looked dominant. 

A walk earlier in the inning left a man on first for Laird, who blasted the nascent no-hit bid apart with a towering home run just to the right of the left-field foul pole.

“He threw me a couple of off-speed pitches and I was just patient,” Laird said.  After getting ahead, he took advantage of a second-consecutive fastball.

“I just wanted to let it travel, and not try to do to much, and just put a good swing on it,” Laird said.  “Fortunately, it went out for a home run, and you know, I’ll take it.”

The solid performances from both a newcomer, and one of the Chiefs’ most reliable hitters allowed Syracuse to maintain its longstanding, but increasingly tenuous hold on the division lead.  They are one game ahead of Pawtucket, with Rochester just a half game out of second.