MMO Farm Report: Familia & Lutz Spark Buffalo Win, Mejia Cruises For St. Lucie

Buffalo 4, Gwinnett 1

By Andrew O’Brien

Zach Lutz hit a two-out single in the top of the seventh inning Wednesday night, plating two runs and extending Buffalo’s lead to 4-1. The Bisons’ bullpen held on to preserve the win for Jeurys Familia.

Familia improved his Triple-A record to 3-1 with the win after going six strong innings, allowing four hits, one run while striking out six and walking two. He threw 85 pitches (59 for strikes).

Justin Hampson and Elvin Ramirez came on in relief of Familia and were effective in three scoreless innings. Hampson allowed three hits in 1.1 innings while striking out one. Ramirez picked up his first save in 1.2 innings pitched while not allowing a hit and striking out two.

Valentino Pascucci (1-for-4) hit a one-out single in the top of the fourth and later scored on a Matt Tuiasosopo single.

With the game tied 1-1, Lutz’s two-out single in the top of the seventh inning secured the Bisons’ victory.

Herd Rumblings: Fred Lewis went 3-for-5 with one RBI and his hitting .303 since joining the Triple-A Mets. Lutz went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and is now hitting .321. The Bisons had 12 hits Wednesday night, compared with seven from the G-Braves. Buffalo (20-13) have won the first three games in the four-game set with Gwinnett. The series concludes 10:35 a.m. Thursday. International League ERA leader Jeremy Hefner takes the hill for the Bisons. Hefner (3-1) has a 1.64 ERA in five starts. In 33 innings pitched, he has given up 27 hits while walking five and striking out 17.

New Britain 5, Binghamton 1

By Tim Burns

Despite a strong outing by Binghamton Mets starter Collin McHugh, the New Britain Rock Cats took the rubber match at NYSEG Stadium on Wednesday night by a score of 5-1 after the defense faltered for the second night in a row.

McHugh, making his seventh start of the season, pitched seven innings, allowing one run on six hits, while striking out five and walking two. Rock Cats DH Wilkin Ramirez’s first home run of the season was the only run given up by McHugh. McHugh was ahead of Ramirez 0-2 in the count when he appeared to hang a pitch out over the plate that the New Britain batter took advantage of and put it over the left field wall.

McHugh was able to pitch himself out of jams in both the fifth and sixth innings, helped in part by a nice play by shortstop Josh Rodriguez whose quick throw to catcher Kai Gronauer in the fifth cut down the Rock Cats Estarlin De Los Santos trying to score from third on Wilkin Ramirez’s infield hit. The Rock Cats loaded the bases in the sixth, but the 1-2-3 double play got the B-Mets out of the inning unscathed.

In the eighth, Erik Turgeon replaced Collin McHugh, and just like the night before the B-Mets defense would fall apart behind one of their relief pitchers. After Joe Benson reached on a Jefry Marte fielding error, Turgeon was able to get the next two batters out, Chris Colabello flying out to Juan Lagares and Aaron Hicks struck out swinging. A throwing error by catcher Kai Gronauer trying to pick off Estarlin De Los Santos at first base, three doubles, a single, and a walk later the B-Mets were looking up at a four run deficit by the time New Britain’s left fielder Chris Herrmann struck out looking to end the eighth inning. In Turgeon’s one inning worth of work, the B-Mets gave up four unearned runs. Turgeon would take the loss for the B-Mets, and his record now stands at 1-3 with a 7.84 ERA.

Kevin Mulvey pitched a clean ninth inning for the home team, all three batters he faced grounding out to shortstop Josh Rodriguez.

The B-Mets lone run in the game came in the bottom of the second inning. The first three B-Mets batters singled in the frame, with Juan Lagares’ single to center field scoring Jefry Marte. Lagares went 2/4 with two strikeouts on the night. Matt den Dekker’s third triple of the season in the bottom of the third was wasted when Reese Havens and Jefry Marte both flew out to left field to end the inning. Den Dekker’s triple was the only multi-base hit of the B-Mets six total hits on the night.

Mid-Week Stats Snapshot: As a team, the B-Mets are 7th out of the 12 Eastern League teams in batting average at .253. Matt den Dekker is 8th in the league in runs scored, 2nd in the league in doubles with 10, and tied for first with three triples. Pitching wise, the B-Mets are second in the league in ERA at 3.01. Zack Wheeler is fourth in the league with a 1.75 ERA, and Mark Cohoon (2.06 ERA), Darin Gorski (2.27 ERA), and Collin McHugh (2.40) sit at 8-9-10 respectively in the same category. McHugh is also third in the league with 36 strikeouts so far this season.

B-Mets Buzz: It’s off to New Hampshire for a weekend series for the B-Mets. This will be the B-Mets second trip to Northeast Delta Dental Stadium this season, where they previously lost two of three to the Fisher Cats. They will return home next Tuesday for their first series of the season against the Trenton Thunder, AA affiliate of the New York Yankees.

St. Lucie 4, Brevard County 2

By Clayton Collier

Coming off their seventh loss of the season in the series opener at Brevard County, the St. Lucie Mets rallied to win this one in thrilling fashion by a score of 4-2.

Top-pitching prospect Jenrry Mejia made his first rehab start with St. Lucie yesterday and threw five innings, allowing two runs on four hits, taking a no-decision. Mejia consistently in the lower to mid-90′s and had relatively good command; a good first step since coming back from Tommy John Surgery.

Much like the major league Mets last night, the St. Lucie Mets were facing a 2-1 deficit and came back to tie, and eventually win the ballgame. In the top of the fourth, down 2-1, Rafael Fernandez hit a solo shot to tie the ballgame at two a piece.

The Manatees Hiram Burgos was dominant, scattering three hits and allowing only two runs (one earned) over seven frames while punching out ten, also lowering his ERA to 0.87 on the year.

It wasn’t until the Mets got into the Manatee bullpen that they started to get going. The Mets took the lead off of Brandon Kintzler on a double play ball off the bat of Wilmer Flores that scored Wilfredo Tovar to make it a 3-2 ballgame. The next frame, Cesar Puello hit a triple, then proceeded to score on a throwing error by right fielder Franklin Romero Jr., part of a 2-hit game for Puello.

After an excellent three-run effort by Angel Cuan, Adrian Rosario came on yet-again to slam the door, striking out the last two batters to face him and picking up his 9th save on the season.

Lucie Logistics: Wilfredo Tovar went 2-4 with a double and an RBI, raising his average to .293. With yet another shutout frame, Adrian Rosario now has a 1.06 ERA on the year. The Mets continue their four-game set with the Manatees tonight at 6:35 PM in Brevard County.