Farm Report: 4/14 – Domingo Tapia Was Large And In Charge!

PAWTUCKET 9 – BISONS 6

AAA

The Bisons were out-slugged for the second day in a row, this time it was the Pawtucket PawSox who branded them with the loss on Saturday afternoon in Buffalo. A crucial fielding error by Zach Lutz in the fifth inning opened the floodgates to five unearned runs, and as a great baseball genius once said, “that’s the ball game.”

Second-baseman Bobby Scales came a triple shy of the cycle for Buffalo, his line on the day was: 4-5 with a double, a home run, a run scored, and two RBI’s. Jordany Valdespin, Valentino Pascucci, and Vinny Rottino had two hits apiece.

Left-hander Garrett Olson (0-1) took the loss, exiting after 4.1 innings, having surrendered 3 hits, 5 walks, and striking out 3.

Box Score

Herd Rumblings: To fill the vacant spot on the roster when Josh Satin was placed on the major league Taxi Squad on Saturday,  the Bisons announced they had added C Jean Luc Blaquiere from the Cyclones roster. The 26 year-old Blaquiere played at Binghamton last year where he hit .229 in 118 AB’s. The Herd have now lost three games in a row, and 5 of their last 6, to bring their season W-L record to 4-6. They complete the two-game series against Pawtucket today at 1:05. RHP Matt Harvey makes the start for Buffalo.

PORTLAND 5 – B-METS 3

AA

B-Mets starter Darin Gorski struggled with his command on Saturday afternoon and left the game with two men on base, and no one out in the fifth. Kevin Mulvey replaced Gorski and navigated through the inning with no runs scoring. For the day, Gorski pitched 4+ innings and got a no-decision, giving up 2 ER’s, 4 hits, 2 walks, 2 WP’s, 1 HBP, and he also made a throwing error.

Mulvey (0-1) walked the bases full with no outs in the sixth before being replaced by Edgar Ramirez. Three runs would score that inning which was the difference in the game.

The Binghamton offense came on a two-run double by SS Sean Kazmar in the top-of-the-fifth. And a single run was added in the eighth on a lead-off double by RF Juan Lagares, and a two-out RBI single by back-up 3B Oswaldo Navarro. The hot hitter of the game for the B-Mets was Lagares who went 3-5 with the double and run scored. Kazmar and C Juan Centeno each had two hits on the day.

Box Score

B-Mets Buzz: Yesterday’s loss dropped the B-Mets season W-L record to 3-5. After taking the first game of the series and then dropping the next two, the B-Mets try to even the four-game set with a victory today at 1 pm. RHP Greg Peavey (1-0) will make his second start for Binghamton.

ST. LUCIE 2 – PALM BEACH 1

High A

Another day, another win for the first place St. Lucie Mets who improved to 7-2 after edging Palm Beach 2-1 on Saturday night. Winning pitcher Yohan Almonte started and tossed 5.1 innings of one run ball, allowing just five hits, no walks and striking out three batters. Taylor Whitenton relieved Almonte and pitched 1.2 perfect innings with three Ks. Jeffrey Kaplan picked up his first save with two scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit and also notching 3 Ks. This bullpen is too legit to quit.

St. Lucie got on the board in the second inning when shortstop Wilfredo Tovar slapped a bases loaded single to left to score right fielder Cory Vaughn and tie the game at 1-1. The Mets took the lead in the fifth inning thanks to a sac fly by third baseman Wilmer Flores that scored Robbie Shields from third to put the the team up 2-1. Vaughn had two hits and a walk in the game and is batting .333 so far this season.

Box Score

Lucie Logistics: With the Myrtle Beach Pelicans allowing a homer in their loss Saturday night, St. Lucie is now the only pitching staff in the minor leagues that has yet to allow a home run this season. Well done, boys! LHP Angel Cuan takes the hill for St. Lucie on Sunday as they hit the road for Charlotte to play a three game series with the Stone Crabs.

SAVANNAH 6 – AUGUSTA 0

Low A

Domingo Tapia delivered the best pitching performance among all the Mets affiliates on Saturday night as the Sand Gnats swatted the Green Jackets 6-0 to take the rubber game and win the series. Tapia was damn near perfect as he hurled seven shutout innings, allowing just three hits and walking none while racking up 8 strikeouts. It was an impressive performance for Tapia who lowered his ERA to 2.25. Marcos Camarena wrapped things up with two perfect innings of relief. Nice job, guys!

You’re probably looking at the score and thinking the Gnats racked up ten or more hits – nah, only four. But they did manage to draw nine walks. Second baseman T.J. Rivera had the biggest hit of the game – a booming triple to right firld that scored shortstop Luis Nieves and center fielder Tillman Pugh (I love that name). Rivera also collected two free passes in the game and is batting .405!

Box Score

Gnats Gnotes: The Gnats were 1-14 with RISP and left nine men on base in this one. Gnats pitching however ruled the roost, completing back to back shutouts against the Cardinals. RHP Tyler Pill wraps up the four game series on Sunday at 2:05 pm. Come on Tyler… Tic Tac Toe, three shutouts in a row…