Farm Report: 4/15 Bisons & St. Lucie Mount Dramatic Comebacks

BUFFALO 10 – PAWTUCKET 9

AAA

The Herd charged back in dramatic fashion last night as they came from six runs down in the middle of the sixth inning, to win the game against Pawtucket in 10 innings, on a walk-off hit by Jordany Valdespin which gave Buffalo a 10-9 victory. The comeback started in the bottom of the sixth with the score 9-3 in favor of Pawtucket. Andrew Miller had just come on to pitch in relief, and promptly walked the bases full before Vinny Rottino singled to score Bobby Scales. Then with two outs, Adam Loewen stepped to the plate against new pitcher Tony Pena, and crushed a grand-slam home run to RF, to pull the Bisons within one at 9-8. On the day, Loewen drove in six runs with a pair of home runs.

The Herd plated the tying run in the 8th on a fielder’s choice, and had the bases loaded with two out, when Valdespin grounded out, leaving the score tied 9-9. They would load the bases with two outs again in the 9th, but Matt Tuiasosopo struck out. In the  bottom-of-the 10th inning, however, the Bisons literally stole the game and in very unusual fashion. Adam Loewen drew a lead-off walk. He was replaced at first by catcher Rob Johnson when he hit into a force play. With one out and Valdespin batting, Johnson took off running, and stole second without a throw, much to the amazement of everyone watching. Valdespin then lined a pitch into centerfield, scoring Johnson from second, and giving the Herd a shocking 10-9 come-from-behind victory. The win broke a 3-game losing streak and improved the Bisons record for the year to 5-6.

Right-hander Matt Harvey started for Buffalo and pitched poorly showing good velocity but little command. His line for the game was 3.2 innings, 6 hits, 6 runs, 5 earned, 3 walks and 2 K’s. Brad Holt relieved him making his AAA debut and was treated rather rudely as well. His line: 1.2 IP, 6 hits, 1 walk, 3 ER’s. Jack Egbert came on to pitch in the sixth and quickly restored order. He went 2.2 IP, with 3 strikeouts, and nothing across. Closer Fernando Cabrera (1-0) came on to pitch the ninth and threw very well, pitching 2.0 IP, and only issuing one walk along the way to pick up the win.

 Box Score

Herd Rumblings: The Bisons placed left-hander Daniel Herrera on the D.L. retro-active to April 13th, with a left elbow strain. To replace him the Mets have promoted 26-year-old right-hander Brad Holt from AA Binghamton. Holt was 0-0 with a 7.71 ERA in three relief outings for the B-Mets covering 2.1 innings. He was tagged for 3 hits, 2 ER’s, and 2 walks while striking out five at Bingo. This will be Holt’s first exposure to AAA, in this, his fifth season in the organization. Jenrry Mejia has been throwing in Florida and reports are that he looks very good. The belief is that the Mets are only waiting for the weather to warm up in the northeast before promoting him to Buffalo. Josh Satin is back with the Bisons after he was placed on the Mets’ 24-hour taxi squad in case David Wright couldn’t play this weekend. The Bisons begin a 4-game series against the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs on Monday night. First pitch is slated for 6:05 pm and RHP Jeurys Familia (1-0 3.72) will ride for the Herd.

BINGHAMTON 9 – PORTLAND 2

AA

The Binghamton Mets managed to split the four-game series with the Portland Sea Dogs, with a 9-2 victory last night in Portland. Eastern League Pitcher of the Week Greg Peavey made the start for the B-Mets and picked up his second win of the season in two starts. Peavey went 5 strong innings, giving up 4 hits, no runs and one walk, while striking out 4. He has yet to allow a run this year. Peavey was relieved by RHP Armando Rodriguez who hurled three hitless, scoreless innings, walking one and striking out 5. RHP Erik Turgeon got roughed up in the 9th, but LHP Josh Edgin came in to get the final out.

The bats really came alive for Binghamton last night as they scored their season-high so far with the 9 runs. There were 3 home runs: a solo shot in the first inning by CF Matt den Dekker (his 1st) to put the Mets on the board, a solo shot by Oswaldo Navarro (his 1st) in the seventh, and a two-run job by 1B Travis Ozga (his 1st) in the 9th to complete the scoring. SS Sean Kazmar continued his hot hitting going 3-5 with a triple. Ozga, den Dekker, 2B Josh Rodriguez, and C Juan Centeno, each had two hits in the victory.

Box Score

B-Mets Buzz: The Eastern League has named Binghamton Mets starter RHP Greg Peavey as the Pitcher of the Week for the period of April 5th – 15th. Congratulations Greg! In last night’s game he threw a total of 75 pitches, and 54 were for strikes. Last nights win brings the B-Mets record to 4-5 for the year. LHP Mark Cohoon (0-1 3.60) toes the rubber Monday for Bingo as they head to New Hampshire for a three-game series against the Fisher Cats starting tonight at 6:35 PM.

ST. LUCIE 6 – CHARLOTTE 4

High A

A dramatic four-run rally in the top-of-the-seventh inning erased a 4-1 deficit, and put the Mets in front of the Stone Crabs by a score of 5-4. They would score an insurance run in the eighth making it 6-4, on the way to their third consecutive victory as they open up a 2.0 game lead in the Southern Division of the FSL, with an 8-2 overall record.

The first big hit came with one out in the seventh, and the bases loaded. Catcher Francisco Pena belted a double to score LF Sean Ratliff and 1B Richard Lucas, pulling St. Lucie to within a run at 4-3. Then with two outs, men on second and third, 2B Danny Muno singled to bring home RF Rafael Fernandez and Pena with the tying and winning runs.

The insurance run in the eighth scored on an RBI double by Fernandez. The first run by the Mets scored in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by 3B Wilmer Flores following a Cesar Puello walk and a Robbie Shields double.

Left-hander Angel Cuan started for St. Lucie, and was roughed up pretty bad in the first inning before settling in to throw a decent outing. In the bottom-of-the-first, he gave up 4 ER’s on 5 hits, including the first home run given up by the St. Lucie pitching staff this season. After that he pitched until one out in the sixth, giving up no further runs, and allowing only four hits and a walk the rest of the way with 3 strikeouts.

Right-hander Ryan Fraser (1-0) came on in relief of Cuan and pitched 2.0 innings with one strikeout, and nothing across to earn the win. LHP Adam Kolarek continued his scoreless streak from the start of the season with .2 innings in relief of Fraser in the eighth. Closer RHP Adrian Rosario, who the Mets got in the Frankie Rodriguez trade, pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his second save of the year.

Box Score

Lucie Logistics: St. Lucie continues to lead the Florida State League in team SLG% and OPS. They are also first in the league in team ERA (1.99), WHIP (1.08), fewest walks, and fewest HR’s. The Mets have placed CF Darrell Ceciliani on the D.L. with a strained hamstring. The injury occurred while celebrating his game winning HR on April 9th. It is the same hamstring he injured last year that wiped out a month of his season. OF Cory Vaughn has been placed on the Temporarily Inactive list on Sunday, no reason was given. Game two of the three game series at Charlotte will be Monday at 6:30 pm. Cory Mazzoni (1-0 1.64) will make his third start of the year for the Mets.

SAND GNATS 6 – AUGUSTA 1

Low A

The Savannah Sand Gnats swarmed the Augusta Green Jackets on Sunday, beating them 6-1 behind strong pitching and power-hitting. Tyler Pill (1-0) threw 6 scoreless innings for the second consecutive start to extend his scoreless innings streak to 12. His first start he gave up 3 hits, and no walks, while striking out 7. This time he gave up 5 hits, and one walk, with two strikeouts. RHP Tyson Seng and LHP T.J. Chism combined to hurl three innings of relief, only giving up an unearned run. Chism picked up his first save of the year.

The power came in the form of three home runs and a double, which accounted for five of the six runs scored. The scoring began when 3B Aderlin Rodriguez singled to lead off the second. DH Dustin Lawley followed with his first HR of the season, to make the score 2-0 in favor of the Gnats.

Rodriguez led off again in the fourth, this time with his third HR of the season over the left-field wall. Then with two outs, CF Travis Taijeron walloped his second HR of the season to make the score 4-0. SS Luis Nieves drove in a run with a two-out single in the top-of-the-sixth to make it 5-0. The last Sand Gnat run scored in the eighth on back-to-back doubles by Taijeron and LF Greg Pron. Augusta tallied their lone score in the bottom-of-the-eighth on an error, a walk, and a single.

Box Score

Gnats Gnotes: OF Charley Thurber was activated off the 7-day D.L. in time for Saturday’s game. He had been sidelined for the past week with a strained right oblique. RHP Erik Goeddel remains on the D.L. with a groin problem, and has not pitched yet this season. Savannah remains first in the South Atlantic League in team ERA (1.96), and WHIP (0.97), as well as fewest HR’s, and second in fewest walks and in fewest hits. At 7-4 on the season, the Gnats remain tied for second place, and a half-game out of first in the Southern Division of the SAL. Monday the Gnats begin a three-game set on the road against the Rome Braves at 7 pm, with Michael Fulmer (0-1 3.86) making his second start of the year.