Fresno 11, Las Vegas (38-30) 4
The 51’s had their 7-game win streak come to an end last night with starter Tyler Pill getting beat up from the word go lasting only 1.2 innings. Pill gave up seven runs on eight hits and two walks raising his ERA to 6.78 with his record going to 2-4 on the year. It was a long bullpen day for Las Vegas who used six relievers with only Scott Rice, Chase Bradford, and John Church not allowing a run in their inning of work.
Kirk Nieuwenhuis played in his 2nd game back in Las Vegas going 2-4 with a triple and a homerun, he played center field and batted 5th. Danny Muno was the other offensive star for the 51’s going 3-4 with a double, walk, scoring two runs while leading off and playing second base. Johnny Monell extended his hitting streak to 13 games after going 2-5 with his 30th RBI of the season. Anthony Recker caught the whole game going 0-2 with two walks. T.J. Rivera was 1-3 with a RBI double, he is now 13-27 with six RBI and seven doubles in his last 8 games. Matt Reynolds was 0-2 before being replaced by Wilfredo Tovar who went 0-3 as Wally got some of his regulars some rest in the blowout. Box Score
Las Vegas takes on Fresno again tonight at 10:05 ET with Matt Bowman (3-8, 6.34) on the mound.
Binghamton (35-30) 7, Portland 1
The B’Mets finished off the sweep of the Sea Dogs thank to a handful of 1st-round picks in the lineup and on the mound with Michael Fulmer getting the win while Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo contributed multiple hits each. Fulmer went 6.1 innings allowing one run on seven hits and two walks while striking out six. Fulmer did have a fair amount of traffic on the bases holding Portland to 0-9 with runners in scoring position stranding nine runners. He was hitting 95-96 consistently early in the game but did lose some velocity in later innings hitting 92-93 in the 6th and 7th. This is the 2nd straight start I have seen Fulmer pitch and he loves to throw his slider, he had a pretty good one last night using it for four of the strikeouts swinging. I did talk to a scout before the game who thought Fulmer would end up in the bullpen, didn’t like his arm path and thought he wouldn’t hold up physically as a starter. Matt Koch came in to pitch the next 1.2 innings stranding an inherited runner and allowing just one while striking out three. Koch has now allowed just two runs in 26.1 innings since he was moved to the bullpen. Akeel Morris was added to the Binghamton roster (what should have happened in first place) but I didn’t catch a glimpse of him at the ballpark.
Conforto put on another show in batting practice hitting a couple of balls way way out of the stadium, there is a different feel to the Binghamton team with Michael around. Since I saw them last month they look like they are having more fun and enjoying the spotlight that having last years 1st round pick has brought to them. Conforto is handling well too, he was getting interview the whole time I was there and always had kids (and grownups) looking for autographs. He also made it a point to come over to say hey and shake my hand before the game after we meant the day before. Conforto was 3-5 with a double off the wall, scored a run with one of the single going to center field and the other going to left field. He is now hitting .393/.500/.639 with 10 extra base hits (7 2B, 3B, 2 HR) and 12 RBI in 17 games in AA. Brandon Nimmo made his return to Binghamton after injury his knee last month, he had a good night going 2-5 with two doubles, two runs scored, RBI, and a nice running catch in center field. Josh Rodriguez was a triple shy of the cycle knocking in three runs while hitting his league leading 12th homerun. Gavin Cecchini and L.J. Mazzilli combined to go 0-9 with four strikeouts with only Cecchini reaching base via a walk. Box Score
Robert Gsellman (1-2, 5.06) goes for the B’Mets tonight as they travel to New Hampshire to take on the Fisher Cats at 7:05 looking to extend their Minor League leading win streak to 8 games.
Clearwater 9, St. Lucie (34-33) 8 Walk-Off
The Mets head to the All-Star break reeling from two straight walk-off losses at the hand of the Threshers and Aaron Brown who had a single to end the game last night after hitting a homer to end the game on Wednesday. The Mets handed starter Logan Taylor a 7-0 lead after three innings but him and Robert Whalen pitching in relief were unable to hold hit imploding to give up 7 runs in the bottom of the 4th. Taylor lasted 3.1 innings giving up six runs on five hits, HBP, and three walks while only recording one strikeout. Whalen went 4.2 innings allowing three runs and let all three inherited runners score as well. He gave up four hits and four walks while striking out five, fell to 4-4 upping his ERA to 3.42 on the year.
Dominic Smith had a three hit night including a clutch single in the 7th inning that tied the game at 8, his two RBI on the night gave him 39 for the year. Smith is now hitting .296/.336/.421 while leading the league in doubles and placing 4th in RBI. Victor Cruzado was 2-4 with four RBI and his first triple of the season, he a hit in 9 of the last 10 games. Jeff McNeil was 2-5 with a run scored, RBI, and his 10th stolen base of the year. Amed Rosario was 1-4 with a run scored and now has 7 hits over his last four games. Box Score
St. Lucie has an off night heading into the All-Star break with the game being hosted at Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie on Saturday. McNeil, Morris, Conforto, and Gsellman were all origninally elected to play in the All-Star game while Colton Plaia was added later. Obviously only McNeil and Plaia will be able to participate with the others now in Binghamton.
Savannah (36-31) 3, Asheville 2
Both starting pitchers were cruising all night with the game remaining scoreless until the Sand Gnats scored two off a Tourists reliever in the 7th inning. Sand Gnats starter Scarlyn Reyes went a career high 8.2 innings giving up just two unearned runs on three hits and zero walks while striking out 11 batters. He was dominate most of the night, throwing 100 pitches with 75 of them for strikes. He would pick up the win moving him to 7-4 with a 3.05 ERA and a batting average against him at only .231 for the year. James Duff came in with two runners on striking out the only batter he faced to close out his 6th save of the year.
Savannah only had five hits as a team with John Mora collecting two of them including his 8th triple of the year while scoring two of the three Sand Gnat runs. Jonathan Johnson was 1-3 with his 13th RBI and a walk, his .324 average in 2nd in the South Atlantic League. Wuilmer Becerra had a rare off night going 0-4 while Eudor Garcia struck out in his only at bat before being tossed by the homeplate umpire for arguing balls and strikes. The Sand Gnats are currently tied with Greenville for the first half division title with each time having a three game series left before the break. Box Score
Corey Oswalt (3-3, 4.60) pitches tonight for the Sand Gnats when they take on Augusta at 7:05.
Brooklyn Cyclones start their season tonight against Staten Island at 7:00 and it will be available to watch via MiLB TV. Right hander from Mount Sinai, New York Tyler Badamo will being making the start in his Brooklyn debut. The 24th rounder from last year was 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 10 appearances (4 starts) in the Gulf Coast League in his pro season.
DSL Mariners 6, DSL Mets1 (8-9) 1 Box Score
DSL Brewers 3, DSL Mets2 (11-6) 2 Box Score
