MJ Melendez cracked two homers and Luis Robert Jr. added one in Triple-A Syracuse’s 15-2 Saturday night romp of Buffalo. Melendez is on quite the heater, with seven homers in 10 games. Robert Jr. is swinging the bat well, too; 9-for-21 with two homers and a double in his last five games. Christopher Morel also connected for the second-straight night and for the fourth time in his last six games.
The beneficiary of the run support was top prospect Jonah Tong, who gave up two earned runs on five hits over five innings to earn his second win.
Luis Robert Jr. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized
Triple-A
Buffalo Bisons (45-50) 2, Syracuse Mets (47-47) 15
- CF Luis Robert Jr., 2-for-5, HR (1), 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 K (.777 OPS)
- DH MJ Melendez, 3-for-5, 2 HR (10), 4 RBI, BB (1.039 OPS)
- 3B Ronny Mauricio, 1-for-5, RBI, 2 K (.894 OPS)
- LF Ryan Clifford, 0-for-3, 2 BB, 2 K (.671 OPS)
- RF Nick Morabito, 1-for-2, R, 2 SB, 3 BB (.782 OPS)
- 2B Yonny Hernández, 3-for-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, R, BB (.783 OPS)
- 1B Christopher Morel, 2-for-4, HR (4), 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R, BB, K (.994 OPS)
Morabito, 23, is sixth in the International League in stolen bases with 30 in 32 attempts. He stole 49 at Double-A last season. He is the No. 10 Mets prospect on MLB Pipeline.
- RHP Jonah Tong (5.83 ERA) 5 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 2 K, W
- RHP Dan Hammer (1.69 ERA) IP, H, BB, 2 K
Tong, 23, has struck out 84 in 71 innings at Syracuse.
Nick Lorusso. Photo credit: Rick Nelson
Double-A
Akron RubberDucks (41-47) 12, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (33-56) 3
- 1B Nick Lorusso, 2-for-5, HR (16), 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 K (.802 OPS)
- LF-2B Jaylen Palmer, 2-for-4, 2B (.664 OPS)
- C Kevin Parada, 2-for-4, BB, 2 K (.528 OPS)
Lorusso’s batting average (.240) and on-base percentage (.311) are nearly identical to what they were last year (.241, .312), but his slugging percentage is up from .368 to .491. He’s hit 16 homers in 73 games after hitting seven in 112 games last year.
- LHP Gabriel Rodriguez (4.04 ERA) 2 IP, 2 BB, 4 K
- RHP Justin Armbruester (0.96 ERA) 1 1/3 IP, BB, K
Armbruester, 27, has struck out 23 in 19 innings across three levels. He was a 12th-round pick of the Orioles in 2021 out of the University of New Mexico.
High-A
Hudson Valley Renegades (41-45) vs. Brooklyn Cyclones (37-49)
Postponed
The game was postponed because of poor weather and will be made up as part of a doubleheader Sunday that starts at noon. Brooklyn is on a five-game winning streak.
Single-A
St. Lucie Mets (40-47) 4, Palm Beach Cardinals (46-42) 7
- SS Elian Peña, 1-for-4, HBP, K (.739 OPS)
- 3B Antonio Jimenez, 1-for-4, HR (6), K (.780 OPS)
- LF Mike Tauchman, 0-for-4, BB, 2 K (.729 OPS)
- DH Trey Snyder, 2-for-3, 2 2B, BB, K (.690 OPS)
Jimenez’s homer was his fourth in eight games. Tauchman is 2-for-17 with seven walks in seven rehab games coming off surgery to repair torn meniscus.
- RHP Joe Scarborough (5.29 ERA) 2 IP, BB, 4 K
