4/29 Farm Report: Havens & Vaughn Homer, Owen & Wheeler Solid, Wins All Around

Buffalo 8, Rochester 2

By Andrew O’Brien

Dylan Owen pitched seven strong innings Sunday afternoon, leading the Buffalo Bisons to an 8-2 victory over the Rochester Red Wings. With the win, Buffalo (14-10) has won three straight and 10 of its last 14.

Over seven innings, Owen (2-1) allowed four hits, one run (one earned), no walks and struck out seven. He now has a 3.18 ERA in Triple-A. He threw just 78 pitches and retired the first seven to begin the game and then another 11 straight from the fourth inning on to his final frame.

In the fourth inning, Vinny Rottino had a one-out double and later scored on a two-out Matt Tuiasosopo single. Then Brad Emaus, in his first game since joining the AAA Mets, drove in Valentino Pascucci with a single.
The Bisons scored two more runs in the fifth and then added three runs in the seventh inning to pull away.

Atop the Bisons’ order, Bobby Scales and Rottino each went 3-for-5 with an RBI. Scales now leads the International League in batting (.413) and on-base percentage (.522).

Buffalo goes for the four-game sweep in the series finale 6:05 p.m. Monday.

Herd Rumblings: Valentino Pascucci (13 games), Vinny Rottino (11 games), Bobby Scales (7 games), Josh Satin (6 games) all extended their season-high hit streaks on Sunday. Also, Zach Lutz will rejoin Buffalo as the Mets activate Andres Torres from the disabled list. Jordany Valdespin will remain with the big league club.

Binghamton 7, Erie 1

By Tim Burns

Reese Havens returned to the Binghamton Mets lineup in a big way on Sunday afternoon, homering over the right field wall not only in his first at bat of the 2012 season, but on the first pitch Erie starter Mark Sorenson threw at him. Havens two run shot would prove to be the difference in the game, and secure Zach Wheeler’s first win of the season, and first at the Double A level, before he ever set foot on the mound in the Sunday afternoon rubber match in Erie, Pennsylvania. The B-Mets would add runs in the second, fourth, and fifth innings, and hold to SeaWolves to a single run in the 7-1 final.

Havens, listed as the Mets organization’s seventh top prospect, had been activated earlier in the day after missing the beginning of the 2012 season with back injuries. Havens would end up 3/4 on the day, adding two singles to his first swing of the bat home run. He would also walk in the fourth inning. Matt den Dekker went 2/5 on the afternoon with a double and a triple, two RBI’s and two runs scored. Den Dekker’s double in the first is what put him on second for Havens home run, and his triple in the second put him in a good position to score from third when shortstop Josh Rodriguez was caught in a rundown trying to steal second base. Pedro Zapata benefited from den Dekker’s plate appearances on the afternoon, as Zapata scored twice in the game – once on den Dekker’s triple in the second, and for the second time on a sacrifice fly by the B-Mets center fielder in the fourth. Zapata’s line for the afternoon was 2/5 with a single and a triple, one RBI and one run scored.

Zach Wheeler had another strong outing to earn his first win at the Double A level. In 5 2/3, Wheeler struck out six while walking three. The only multi-base hit Wheeler allowed was a sixth inning double to the SeaWolves Brandon Douglas, who would eventually prove to be the only run of the game for the home team. In 95 pitches thrown on the afternoon by Wheeler, 55 of them were strikes. Jeff Kaplan pitched 1 1/3 in relief of Wheeler, giving up two hits, and Armando Rodriguez pitched the final two innings for the B-Mets.

B-Mets Buzz: The B-Mets also activated 3B Eric Campbell from the DL on Sunday. It’s off to Akron for the B-Mets now as they open a four game set at Canal Park. On Monday night it will be Darin Gorski (2-0, 2.75) facing off against Steven Wright (2-1, 1.46). Wright, who currently sits third in the EL in ERA, was handed his only loss of the season by the B-Mets in the opening series of the 2012 campaign.

St. Lucie 5, Fort Myers 1 

By Clayton Collier

The St. Lucie Mets continued to roll as they easily bested the Fort Myers Miracle 5-1.

Gonzalez Germen got the nod and was locked in from the start. Germen went seven frames, allowing only one run on five hits while punching out seven, picking up his third win on the year.

Miracle starter Jose Gonzalez did not enjoy the same measure of success, only hurling three innings while surrendering four runs on four hits while striking out two, falling to an 0-3 record for the season.

The St. Lucie bats were hitting the ball hard and often yesterday as five Mets had 2-hit games. Both Cory Vaughn and Juan Torres mashed solo shots and Robbie Sheilds had a two-bagger as the Mets pounded the Miracle pitching staff, paving the way to their 19th win on the year.

Lucie Logistics: Wilmer Flores went 0-4 with an RBI groundout, snapping his 13-game hitting streak. Adrian Rosario slammed the door yet again with a hitless ninth, recording his fifth save of the year and lowering his ERA to 0.68. The Mets go for the sweep against the Miracle at 7:05.

Savannah 9, Lexington 3

From Team Report

Brandon Brown and Aderlin Rodriguez each drove in two runs as the Savannah Sand Gnats took a 9-3 win over the Lexington Legends Sunday at Whitaker Bank Ballpark. Savannah took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Brown led off with a double, moved to third on an infield out by T.J. Rivera and came home on a single by Travis Taijeron.

The Sand Gnats added four runs in the sixth.  Dustin Lawley, who was 3-for-3 in the game, led off with a single.  After Taijeron flied out, Rodriguez singled, sending Lawley to second.  Brian Harrison grounded into a force play at second, leaving runners at first and third.  Charley Thurber’s single scored Lawley, and after Evan Grills relieved Lexington starter Nick Tropeano, Luis Nieves walked, loading the bases.  Brown singled to score two more runs, giving the Sand Gnats a 4-0 lead.  Nieves then scored on a double steal as Brown took second.

Savannah pulled away with four more runs in the ninth.  Brown walked, Cam Maron singled, and after Rivera struck out, Lawley walked to load the bases.  Taijeron grounded back to pitcher Tanner Bushue, who threw to catcher Roberto Pena for a force at home, but Pena’s throw to first hit Taijeron for an error, allowing Maron to score.  Rodriguez followed with a double to left field, scoring Lawley and Taijeron, and Harrison singled, bringing Rodriguez home with the final Savannah run.

Savannah starter Marcos Camarena (2-0), who pitched five scoreless innings and allowed two hits, got the win.  Nick Tropeano (1-2), the Lexington starter, took the loss.

Gnats Gnotes: Closer Adam Kolarek has yet to allow a run this season and in 11 innings pitched he has struck out 17 batters while walking one. Germen now is tied for the team lead in wins with three, matching Cory Mazzoni and Chase Huchingson. Rafael Montero is on the mound for an early 10:00 AM game. Montero is riding a streak of not walking 68 consecutive batters.