MMO Mets Farm Report – The Next Best Thing To Being There!

LEHIGH VALLEY 8 – BUFFALO 4

By Pete Shapiro

The Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs broke a 2-2 tie with a 5-run 8th inning, that branded the Herd with an eventual 8-4 loss on Thursday afternoon in Buffalo. Reliever RHP Jack Egbert (0-1) pitched just the one inning giving up all five runs, two earned on four hits and a walk, to take the loss. Two costly errors, one by 1B Val Pascucci and one by catcher Rob Johnson in the inning, definitely didn’t help the cause. The meltdown thwarted an excellent effort by Bison starter LHP Garrett Olson, who tossed six innings surrendering two ER’s on seven hits and a walk, to go with five strikeouts.

The offensive bright-spot for the Herd was lead-off man Jordany Valdespin who got the start at 2B for just the third time this season, he went 3-4 with a home run, a walk, a run scored, and an RBI. Bobby Scales, Josh Satin, and Adam Loewen each had two hits on-the-day. Val Pascucci hit his 5th homer of the year in the sixth inning.

Herd Rumblings: After Thursday’s game the Bisons depart for a 6-game road trip, three games in Syracuse, followed by three at Lehigh Valley. The loss yesterday drops the Herds record below .500 at 7-8, good for 4th place in the International League North. Second-baseman Bobby Scales is second in the league in batting with a cool .436 average, second in SLG with a .718, as well as first in the league in OBP at .537, and is now 12 for-his-last 25 at the plate. With two more hits last night, Scales has been on base by hit and/or walk at least twice, in each game he has played this season. Meanwhile teammate 3B Zach Lutz is presently tied for 8th, hitting .354, 9th in the league with a .439 OBP, and is 6 for-his-last 13. RF Adam Loewen is 6 for 12, with 2 homers and 6 RBI’s over his last 4 games. The three starting pitchers for the Herd not named Harvey or Familia, are ranked 10th, 15th, and 18th in the International League in ERA: Jeremy Hefner (1.96), Garrett Olson (2.20), and Chris Schwinden (2.25). The two starters that are named Harvey and Familia, are 4th and 5th worst in the league in WHIP, Harvey’s at 2.15 and Family’s at 1.98. Harvey is 3rd in the league in highest ERA with a 7.62, while Familia is 6th at 6.59. Familia is also 4th in the league in walks with 12. Tonight’s probable pitcher for the opening game in Syracuse will be right-hander Matt Harvey (0-1 7.62) making his 4th start of the season.

BINGHAMTON 6 – PORTLAND 0

By Tim Burns

Behind a strong outing by Darin Gorski, who improved his 2012 record to 2-0, the Binghamton Mets defeated the visiting Portland SeaDogs on Thursday night by a score of 6-0 at NYSEG Stadium. Gorski went six innings, allowing only one hit – a second inning single by center fielder Ronald Bermudez – while striking out four and walking two. Elvin Ramirez came on in relief of Gorski in the seventh, pitching two innings and allowing only one hit. Armando Rodriguez came on in the ninth in a non-save situation, giving up only one hit on the three batters he faced, with Bryce Bentz hitting into a double play erasing the single by Juan Carlos Linares.

Portland starter Billy Buckner, no relation to the infamous Red Sox first baseman, took the loss. In five innings pitched, Buckner gave up three runs on six hits, while striking out five B-Mets batters along the way.

The B-Mets got on the board first in the third inning when Matt den Dekker scored on an Eric Campbell single that was threaded just inside the foul line down the third base side. The Mets scored single runs in the fourth and fifth inning against SeaDogs starter Buckner, and three more runs in the bottom of the sixth against Portland reliever Michael Lee.

Offensively for the B-Mets, Travis Ozga led the way when he was 3/4, with a double and a home run hit over the right field wall off of Buckner in the fourth. Ozga’s home run was hit on the first pitch delivered by Buckner in the frame. Jefry Marte and Eric Campbell also had two hits a piece, and Oswaldo Navarro, Juan Lagares, Josh Rodriguez, and Pedro Zapata completed the hit total with a hit each.

B-Mets Buzz: The ‘Thirsty Thursday’ crowd of 2,561 was the largest so far at home in 2012 for the B-Mets. Friday’s game at NYSEG stadium between the Mets and SeaDogs will pit reigning Eastern League pitcher of the week Greg Peavey (2-0, 0.00) against RHP Chris Balcom-Miller (1-1, 4.26) for Portland.

ST. LUCIE 1 – PALM BEACH 0

By Joe DeCaro

What a wonderful, rain-soaked affair this was for starting pitcher Chase Huchingson who continues to dominate the Florida State League and tossed another five scoreless innings in the Mets 1-0 win over the Cardinals. Huchingson, who has yet to allow a run this season, improved his record to 3-0 and allowed four hits, one walk and fanned three batters. After the second rain delay, Taylor Whitenton replaced Huchingson and pitched a scoreless sixth inning. He ended up earning the save after the umpires called the game before the start of the seventh.

The only run of the game came in the fifth when shortstop Wilfredo Tovar lined a single to right that scored first baseman Richard Lucas who had reached on a throwing error and advanced to third on a sac fly. Tovar had two hits in the game and second baseman Danny Muno stroked his fifth double of the season.

Lucie Logistics: The Mets have won six straight and have already built a five game cushion as they sit atop the division with an impressive 11-2 record. St. Lucie pitchers lead the FSL with a 1.69 ERA and have only allowed one home run this season in 114 innings pitched. Conversely, Lucie hitters lead the league in doubles (31) and slugging (.363). St. Lucie will host the Cardinals on Friday night in the second game of the series at Digital Domain Park.

HICKORY 7 – SAVANNAH 1

By Brandon Butler

Starter Alex Panteliodis was on the hill for the Gnats against the Crawdads and despite giving up one run early on in the first inning, the big right-hander would settle in afterwards. In his four innings of work, Panteliodis gave up 4 runs (only 1 was earned) on 4 hits, and struck out 3.

Unfortunately for Alex, the Gnats were shut down offensively. Savannah’s only run came in the 4th inning on a Charles Thurber RBI groundout that scored first baseman Brian Harrison. The Gnats had a chance to do some damage when they loaded the bases in the 5th inning, but Harrison and Alderin Rodriguez both struck out to end the threat.

Gnats Gnotes: Alex Panteliodis finally gave up his first earned run of the season after a T.J. Rivera throwing error. With the loss to Hickory yesterday, the Gnats went from being tied in the South Atlantic Southern League, to now one game back of the Charleston River Dogs (NYY). The Gnats and Crawdads play game two of their four-game series Friday at 7:05 PM. Savannah will send RHP Domingo Tapia (1-0, 2.25) to the hill.