Looks like my services were not needed by the Mets farm last night. I may as well check in on Lois.
Buffalo 7, Rochester 3
By Joe DeCaro
The frigid cold weather wasn’t very kind to Jeurys Familia who simply had trouble commanding any of his pitches and walked a season and career high seven batters last night. Familia was all over the place and was finally removed after dishing out three walks to start the fourth inning. Surprisingly, he managed to escape with just two runs scored thanks to a couple of well timed and perfectly executed double plays.
The Bisons bullpen did most of the heavy lifting in this one as they worked six solid innings feturing three superb scoreless frames by Jack Egbert who earned the win and two more shutout innings from Justin Hampson who notched his second save of the season.
Lucas May hit a three-run shot to put the Bison in front for good, and Omar Quintanilla added a solo home run in the eighth to ice it for Buffalo to secure their 7-3 win over Rochester. May and Quintanilla each had a pair of hits and a pair of runs scored. Bobby Scales also contributed with two hits and an RBI.
Herd Rumblings: Catcher Rob Johnson has been placed on the disabled list retroactive to April 25 with a left knee sprain. Johnson has played 11 games with the Bisons this season and was batting .212. Mets center fielder Andres Torres has joined the Herd and is expected to be here though Sunday before being activated by the Mets on Monday. Last night he went 0-4 with a walk, a stolen base and two strikeouts. Chuck James allowed a run for the first time this season while working the seventh inning. Jeremy Hefner (2-1, 1.95 ERA) gets the nod this afternoon at 1:05 PM as the Bisons continue their series against the Red Wings.
Binghamton 3, Erie 1
By Tim Burns
The Binghamton Mets started their seven game road trip on a positive note in Erie, Pennsylvania on Friday night, defeating the SeaWolves by a score of 3-1. Mark Cohoon had the win for the B-Mets, improving his record to the .500 mark on the season at 2-2. In Cohoon’s six innings worth of work, he struck out three and walked four, giving up Erie’s lone run in the bottom of the third, and allowing four hits overall.
The B-Mets won the game by scattering three runs over three separate innings. Their first run came in the top of the fifth by way of a Rylan Sandoval home run to left field. It was Sandoval’s first home run of the season. He also had one walk and one strikeout in four plate appearances on the evening. In the seventh inning, the B-Mets scored their second run – which would prove to be the game winner – when Erie reliever Jared Gayhart walked Binghamton left fielder Pedro Zapata, scoring Juan Centeno from third. The B-Mets tacked on an insurance run in the eighth, but the run scored the inning before was all they would need for their eleventh win of the 2012 campaign.
In two innings worth of work Robert Carson, who was returned to the B-Mets from the big club on Thursday, struck out three and walked one, while allowing no hits, enroute to his third hold of the season. Elvin Ramirez pitched a clean sheet in the ninth for his first save. In seven appearances this season, Ramirez hasn’t allowed a run and still has only allowed three hits. He has held his opponents hitless in the last three games he’s pitched.
Jefry Marte was the only B-Met on the night with multiple hits, going 2/3 with a strikeout and a walk. Marte has hit safely in his last four games, and currently has the top batting average on the Binghamton Mets at .375, which is also good for fifth in the Eastern League. Sandoval’s home run and a single by Juan Lagares in the second inning were the only other hits by B-Mets batters on the night.
B-Mets Buzz: Game two of the three game set is tomorrow afternoon at 1:35 at Jerry Uht Park. Collin McHugh looks to add to his team best three wins. RHP James Avery will take the mound for the SeaWolves. Avery’s first win of the season came back on April 10th against the B-Mets, a 6-1 decision in a game played at NYSEG Stadium.
St. Lucie 3, Jupiter 2
By Clayton Collier
While the New York Mets suffered an embarrassing defeat in the Mile-High City, the St. Lucie Mets experienced one of their most exciting games of the year, winning in extras 3-2.
The Hammerheads had ten baserunners off of St. Lucie’s Angel Cuan, but he managed to hold them to just two runs over 5 1/3 frames, taking a no-decision. Jupiter’s starter Grant Dayton had the Mets number as he hurled five frames of one-hit ball while punching out seven. Once St. Lucie got into the Hammerheads bullpen however, the momentum of the game changed completely.
It started in the top of the sixth with a two out RBI single by Wilmer Flores to make it a one run game. Then in the ninth, with Richard Lucas on second after a one out double, Blake Forsythe brought him home with a knock to tie the ballgame and sending the Mets into extras.
Cory Vaughn however he wanted to go home early, so he launched his third home run of the year to give St. Lucie the lead. Adrian Rosario came on again for the second straight night in a row to slam the door and pick up his fourth save, getting the Mets out of Jupiter with a win.
Lucie Logistics: Cesar Puello and Alonzo Harris both had outfield assists today, throwing out runners at second in the 3rd and 5th innings respectively. With his RBI single last night, Wilmer Flores has now hit in 12 straight games, the longest hitting streak for him since July of 2010. With that scoreless tenth, Adrian Rosario lowered his ERA to a dominant 0.73, look out Mariano Rivera. Continuing their road trip, the St. Lucie Mets will begin a three game set in Fort Myers against the Miracles tonight at 6:05.
Savannah 6, West Virginia 2
By Brandon Butler
After losing two-in-a-row against the West Virginia Power, the Gnats needed to win this game to avoid losing their second consecutive series. Fortunately, they were able to avoid a 3-game losing skid. Tyler Pill started for the Gnats and had a solid outing against the Power. Pill tossed 6 innings, gave up 2 runs on 8 hits, and struck out 5.
Travis Taijeron got things going offensively for the Gnats with a leadoff home run in the top of the second inning. Consecutive doubles by Brandon Brown by Gregory Pron allowed the Gnats to score another run in the third inning. In the fourth inning, Luis Nieves would bring home another run on an RBI groundout. The Gnats did calm down offensively for abit until they cracked on another run in the 7th inning. Gregory Pron would first hit an RBI double, and T.J. Rivera hit an RBI single to bring home Pron. The Gnats would get two more runs in the 9th inning on an RBI flyout by Gregory Pron, and on an RBI single by T.J. Rivera.
Gnats Gnotes: Gregory Pron, and T.J. Rivera each had great nights. Combined, the two hitters went 4 for 8, with 4 RBI’s. Rivera raised his batting average to .402 (which is now tied for the South Atlantic League lead). The Gnats bullpen is continuing to shut down the West Virginia Power. Estarlin Morel, T.J. Chrism, and Jared West combined for 3 scoreless innings, and struck out 2. The Power were hitless against the Gnats bullpen. Thats how dominant the bullpen was. The Savannah Sand Gnats head to Kentucky tommorrow night to face the Lexington Legends. Game time is 7:05 PM.
