Mets Farm Report: In Night’s Only Action Verrett Throws Complete Game Shutout For Savannah

Savannah 2, Delmarva 0

By Pete Shapiro

Logan Verrett is back, he’s all the way back. After missing time on the D.L. earlier this year with arm troubles, he dominated Delmarva last night throwing his first professional complete-game shutout, and in doing so helped Savannah defeat the Shorebirds by a score of 2-0. Verrett (3-2, 2.84) simply got stronger as the night went on saving his best for last. His fielders could have stayed in the dugout for the ninth inning as he struck out the side to put the game on ice.

The game was deadlocked in a good ‘ole fashioned pitcher’s duel with Delmarva starter Zachary Davies matching goose eggs with Verrett through the first seven innings. But once Davies was removed for a relief pitcher, the Sand Gnats were able to get all the runs they would require in the eighth.

Righty Devin Jones started the eighth for the Shorebirds and after striking out Greg Pron he allowed a single to Gilbert Gomez, followed by a hit-by-pitch when he plunked Matt Reynolds. Cam Maron struck out swinging for the second out of the inning, which brought Aderlin Rodriguez to the plate. Jones let loose a wild-pitch to move the runners up to second and third before Rodriguez singled up the middle to break the deadlock and move Savannah out in front by a score of 2-0.

Verrett retired his final seven hitters in order, four going by way of the strikeout to complete the gem. He allowed just six hits in the nine innings, and only one extra base hit, a double in the third inning to Glynn Davis. He also struck out seven while walking only one. Zachary Davies went the first seven for Delmarva with no runs, six hits, a walk and six strikeouts. Devin Jones (1-6, 2.65) pitched the final two innings giving up the two runs on two hits, with three strikeouts, a wild pitch, and a HBP to earn the loss.

Gnats Gnotes: Ex-Met Endy Chavez started in left-field and led off last night for Delmarva, an affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and went 0-for-4. Aderlin Rodriguez continues to punish the baseball. In his last ten games he is 14-for-38, with six runs, two doubles, four home runs, 11 RBI, and has a slash-line of .368/.400/.737. He is second in the league in home runs, and sixth in total bases and RBI, so I would think a call-up to St. Lucie for the big man can’t be too far away. Among the pitchers in the South Atlantic League, Michael Fulmer is third in the league in ERA with a 2.70, and WHIP with a 1.09. In two roster moves yesterday, the Sand Gnats released 6’4″ left-handed reliever Jeremy Gould, and also activated righty reliever Estarlin Morel from the disabled list. When Morel went on the D.L. on May 16th with a shoulder strain, he had a record of 0-1 with a 2.70 ERA, with 14 hits, six walks and 22 strikeouts, in 20 innings. Gould was the Mets 28th round pick in the 2010 draft out of Duke. Last year at Brooklyn he was 1-3 with a 3.26 ERA and five saves in 30.1 innings. He gave up 30 hits and had a 46/10 K/BB ratio. This year pitching at Savannah he got into four games towards the end of June totaling 5.2 innings. He gave up four earned runs on five hits with three walks and a strikeout before deciding to call it quits. The Sand Gnats and the Shorebirds go back at it in game two tonight with right-hander Jacob DeGrom scheduled to toe the rubber for Savannah, game time is 7:05 PM.

Buffalo

No Game Scheduled

Valentino Pascucci won the Triple-A Home Run Derby on Monday night before a crowd of 17,244 in Buffalo, beating Charlotte’s Dan Johnson of the Chicago White Sox organization in the finals. Buffalo hosts the Triple-A All-Star Game on Wednesday, with Matt Harvey, Pascucci and closer Fernando Cabrera due to represent the Bisons/Mets.

Buffalo is presently on their All-Star break, and will not return to regular action until Thursday night when they open a four-game set against the 2nd place Pawtucket Red Sox at 7:00 PM. The Herd finished the first half with a four-game winning streak at 46-45, good for 4th place in the Northern Division of the International League. Thursday night they will send right-hander Jeremy Hefner (4-2, 2.50) to the mound against right-hander Doug Mathis (6-6, 4.05) for Pawtucket.

Binghamton

No Game Scheduled

Binghamton is now off until Thursday night when they begin an eight game homestand. First up for the B-Mets will be the Erie SeaWolves followed by a three game set against the Trenton Thunder. The B-Mets record at the break is 41-47, good for fourth place in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League. Eric Campbell, Jefry Marte, and Armando Rodriguez will be spending the All-Star break as the B-Mets representatives at the Eastern League All-Star Classic to be held tonight in Reading, Pennsylvania, game time is 7:05 PM.

St. Lucie

No Game Scheduled

St. Lucie was off Tuesday night, but returns to action tonight on the road against the Tampa Yankees at 7:00 PM. Left-hander Chase Huchingson (5-5, 4.14) will make the start for St. Lucie. Currently the Yankees are tied for 3rd place in the second-half standings of the Northern Division of the Florida State League with a record of 10-8. The PSL-Mets, who were the first-half Southern Division winners, are in a three-way tie for 3rd place in the second-half standings with a record of 9-10.

Brooklyn

 No Game Scheduled

No games on the slate in the New York Penn League last night, but the Cyclones hit the road for three games against the Connecticut Tigers starting tonight at 7:05. Right-hander Julian Hilario (0-0, 3.07) makes the start for the Cyclones, and south-paw Jack Duffy (0-2, 4.30) throws for the Tigers. Connecticut has started the season with a record of 6-16 and are in 3rd place in the Stedler Division. The ‘Clones, who have lost three straight, are 14-8 and 2.0 games out in front in the McNamara Division.

Kingsport

No Game Scheduled

The K-Mets were off Tuesday night but return home tonight for the start of a three-game set against the Burlington Royals at 7:00 PM. The Royals are 13-7 on the year good for 2nd place in the Eastern Division of the Appalachian League, and have won their last five games in a row. The K-Mets have lost six games in a row and stand at 4-16 for the season so far.