Mazzoni Solid On Both Sides Of The Ball In B-Mets 9-3 Victory

Binghamton 9, Harrisburg 3

An ominous gray sky and a persistent drizzle dampened my spirits as I started an excursion to Binghamton’s NYSEG Stadium for the second consecutive day. Saturday’s sojourn was for naught, nearly four hours driving in the car and no baseball. The prospects of a double washout loomed.

Halfway to Binghamton, the clouds almost evaporated in the sky giving way to sunshine, blue skies and baseball. I couldn’t help but think that this sudden weather transformation might signal an omen, an abrupt change of fortunes for the better for our New York Mets as their young minor league pitching arms begin to find their way to the big squad.

This spring, Cory Mazzoni raised some eyebrows in Florida when he threw 8 innings in spring training raking up a 3.38 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. After a bout with elbow inflammation temporarily put Mazzoni on the sidelines, the power throwing righthander is back in the rotation at Binghamton. On Sunday afternoon, Mazzoni turned some heads logging an impressive outing as the B-Mets topped Harrisburg, 9-3, to earn a split in a doubleheader. On a strict pitch count, Mazzoni worked 5 2/3 innings and appeared headed for a shutout before Binghamton manager Pedro Lopez signaled that 80 total pitches was enough. Josh Edgin replaced Mazzoni with a runner on first and two outs but surrendered a two-run homerun to Josh Johnson on his second pitch.

Here are Mazzoni’s pitching numbers: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 5 K

Batter’s Faced: 19
First Pitch Strikes: 11 of 19 58%
Ahead After Three Pitches: 7 of 14 50%
Total Pitches: 80 Strikes: 52 – 65% Balls: 28 – 35%
Strike Breakdown: Called: 14-27% Fouled: 16-31% Miss: 8-15% In Play 14-27%
Full Windup: Total Pitches – 66 Strikes: 42 – 64% Balls: 14 – 36%
FW Fastballs Total Pitches – 52 Strikes: 34 – 65% Balls: 18 – 35%
FW Curveballs Total Pitches – 4 Strikes: 3 – 75% Balls: 1 – 25%
FW Sliders Total Pitches – 5 Strikes: 2 – 40% Balls: 3 – 60%
FW Change-ups Total Pitches – 5 Strikes: 3 – 60% Balls: 2 – 40%
Stretch: Total Pitches – 14 Strikes: 10 – 71% Balls: 4 – 29%
St. Fastballs: Total Pitches – 10 Strikes: 6 – 60% Balls: 4 – 40%
St. Curveballs: Total Pitches – 1 Strikes: 1 – 100%.
St. Sliders: Total Pitches – 3 Strikes: 3 – 100%
Fastball Range: 88-96 mph

Of Mazzoni’s 44 fastballs, all but 5 were 90+ mph and Mazzoni’s next to last pitch reached 96 mph. Mazzoni is a big guy with the good sized hips and the backside of many power pitchers. His delivery is smooth and appears flawless. He works quickly and efficiently and had everything working well today. A huge early lead might have been comfort food for the B-Met starter. The B-Mets scored all 9 runs in the first two innings, plating 6 runners in the opening frame.

Wilfredo Tovar and Josh Rodriguez walked to open the Binghamton first. Tovar scored the games first run when Richard Lucas lined a single to left field that Senator outfielder Jose Lozado rushed and bobbled allowing the B-Met shortstop to score. After Alan Dykstra’s infield ground out advanced the B-Met runners to second and third, before the Senator’s shortstop misplayed Cory Vaughn‘s infield ground ball with Rodriguez scoring.

After Vaughn stole second, Blake Forsythe drew a base-on-balls to load the bases. Cesar Puello‘s ground single up the middle drove in Lucas and Vaughn putting the B-Mets in front 4-0.

Joe Bonfe‘s single to right held in the air just enough to slow down the B-Met baserunners loading the bases for Mazzoni. Mazzoni slammed an 0-1 fastball for what appeared to be a grand slam homerun. With Mazzoni in a homerun trot, the ball hit the top of the fence ending in a long, two-run single. Lopez argued that the ball had cleared the orange line striking an advertisement above the fence, the umpires huddled, but the long ball single stood.

Binghamton added three more runs in their second at bat, the big hits a pair of doubles by Forsythe and Bonfe with Bonfe’s blast knocking home two runs.

Bonfe, Forsythe and Mazzoni all had two hit games. Puello went 1-2, drew a walk, was hit by a pitch and scored 2 runs.

Josh Edgin struggled in relief pitching 1 1/3 innings and surrendering two earned runs on three hits and two base-on-balls. Edgin closed the game leaving the bases loaded.