Mets Farm Report: Den Dekker’s 5-Hit Attack Stings Trenton In 9-7 B-Mets Win

Columbus 9, Buffalo 1

By Dave (Retire31)

The Bisons had their rumps handed to them as they fell 9-1 to the Clippers on Friday. Buffalo scattered six hits that only produced one run thanks to an RBI double by DH Corey Wimberly in the eighth. That was his second hit of the game. Lucas May also had a double while Matt Tuiasosopo struck out three times in four at-bats. He’ll rival Kirk if he ever gets called up in the, “most difficult last name to spell” category.

Matt Harvey started for the Herd and had one of his roughest starts of the season. Entering tonight’s action the young right-hander was 5-0 with a 2.68 ERA, but that took a hit after he allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks in 4+ innings of work. One of those hits was a home run and he struck out three. If you’re looking for him to get a call up soon, well, don’t hold your breath. The bullpen didn’t fare well either allowing an additional six runs in four innings.

Herd Rumblings: Jack Egbert rejoined the Bisons after clearing waivers with the Mets. Chuck James was placed on the disabled list with left shoulder tendinitis. Mets optioned Pedro Beato to Triple-A Buffalo. The Herd is second in the IL in both team batting average (.263) and runs scored (277). Before tonight Matt Harvey was the IL’s only undefeated pitcher over his last nine starts (5-0, 2.68 ERA) and he is leading the voting for starting pitchers in the MiLB All-Star Game. Val Pascucci leads at DH, while Omar Quintanilla leads for shortstop and Vinny Rottino is fourth for outfield despite both of them being with the Mets. Up next, the Bisons start a four game homestand against the Norfolk Tides with Star Wars Night on Saturday. I’m sure RA Dickey is sad he’s going to miss it.

Binghamton 9, Trenton 7

By Joe D.

Matt den Dekker put on an early fireworks show last night as he had one of the best games of his professional career as the B-Mets pounded out a 9-7 victory over the Trenton Thunder.

Den Dekker led Binghamton’s 15-hit attack by going 5-for-5 including two doubles, an RBI, and three runs scored. The B-Mets jumped to an early lead in the first inning when Jefry Marte blasted a three-run homer to score Reese Havens and Den Dekker to get the action going.

The B-Mets struck again in the seventh when with runners at the corners, Den Dekker drove an RBI double in the gap to score another run, and after an intentional walk to Marte, Eric Campbell came through with a clutch two-run single to left to put Binghamton up 6-2. Juan Lagares would add another run when he followed up with a single to score Marte. In the eighth inning Binghamton would add a couple of more insurance runs that would prove to be critical after a late charge by Trenton.

Germen Gonzalez started the game for Bingo and was cruising along through seven innings allowing just two runs, one of them on a solo homer in the fifth. It didn’t phase him though as he retired nine of the final ten batters he faced with no further damage. Gonzalez allowed just five hits and struck out six while walking none before leaving the game and handing the bullpen a nice big 9-2 lead.

Unfortunately, the bullpen opened the floodgates and the Thunder mounted a pretty big comeback by scoring four runs in the eighth and another run in the ninth to come within two runs. But Robert Carson was able to hold off Trenton and stop them dead in their tracks, earning his third save of the season. Whew… Binghamton wins!

B-Mets Buzz: The B-Mets exploded for a season-high 15 hits in the game and the win snapped a seven-game losing streak for Binghamton in series openers. Germen (2-4) snapped a three-game losing streak with the win. Den Dekker pounded out five hits for the second time in his career, having done it when he was with Savannah during the 2010 season. Den Dekker raised his batting average to .336, second-highest in the Eastern League, and now leads the league in slugging with a .563 mark. The B-Mets continue their series in Trenton tonight at 7:05 PM in a battle of southpaws as Darin Gorski takes the mound and opposes Shaeffer Hall for the Thunder.

St. Lucie Rained Out

by Connor O’Brien

Heavy rains swept across Florida last night, cancelling more than half of the Florida State League schedule, including the St. Lucie Mets’ series finale against Clearwater. No makeup date has been announced.

Lucie Logistics: The Mets are inching closer and closer to the Florida State League All-Star game, which is now just seven days away. Tonight, the Mets head west to take on Charlotte in the first of a three-game set at 6:30. They’ll send Erik Goeddel, who has a 2.00 ERA in eight games this season, to the hill to face off against Braulio Lara, whose ERA thus far is 6.23. Goeddel, who has dominated so far this season, had his first rough outing last week against the Tampa Yankees in which he allowed three runs on nine hits in just three innings of work. Before that, Goeddel had allowed only five runs over his previous 28 innings. After their three in Charlotte, St. Lucie will head home to finish up the first half against Palm Beach.

Charleston 5, Savannah 1

By Fonzie13

Friday night in Charleston SC, the Savannah Sand Gnats (35-25) were defeated by the Charleston River Dogs (37-24) 5-1 as Gnats pitcher Jacob DeGrom (1-1 2.52) simply did not have his best stuff and was tagged for his 1st loss of the season.

The Gnats would score first in the top of the 4th on an RBI infield single by 1B Brian Harrison after CF Travis Taijeron singled and 3B Aderlin Rodriguez 2B put runners on 2nd and 3rd.

DeGrom allowed at least one baserunner to reach in each of the first 4 innings of the game, but managed to keep the R-Dogs off the scoreboard until giving up a 3-run homer in the fifth, and a 2-run shot in the sixth to put Charleston on top 5-1. That turned out to be the final score as the Gnats offense was shut down by River Dog pitching.

While both teams parent clubs squared off in the Bronx, the Yankees’ Brett Gardner, rehabbing in Charleston, played LF tonight and went 1-3 with a stolen base. The Gnats managed eight hits but could not get the big one. stranding runners in scoring position four times including a leadoff triple by Greg Pron in the fifth.

Gnats starter Jacob DeGrom fnished up with with 5.1 innings allowing 5 Runs all earned on 8 hits, did not walk a batter and struck out 5. The long ball was Jacobs downfall tonight giving up 2 bombs. Struggling RH reliever Randy Fontanez finished up for Savannah with 2.2 perfect innings striking out 2.

Gnats Gnotes: Marcos Camarena, who was pretty effective as a starter his first four years with the organization, has been dominant as a reliever this season for Savannah. Marcos is 4-1 with a 1.38 ERA and an 0.85 WHIP in 39 innings. He’s allowed just six earned runs on 27 hits and only six walks with 31 punch-outs, and has held opposing batters to a .200 average on the year. Tomorrow night the Sand Gnats will send RHP Domingo Tapia (4-2 4.11) to the hill in search of his fifth win opposing RHP Will Oliver (2-2 4.26) for the River Dogs.