Buffalo Bisons 9 – Durham Bulls 1

Chris Schwinden worked with a lead the whole game and pitched exactly how any manager wants a pitcher in that position to pitch. He was pretty efficient with his pitchers and threw 66% strikes. He could have come out for the 7th inning if needed (just 92 pitches), but the game was well in hand at that point so the bullpen took over after Schwinden gave up just one run on a sac fly, while striking out and walking just one over six innings. Ryota Igarashi threw two shutout innings in relief, striking out three batters and walking none.

Jason Botts nearly hit for the cycle tonight. He walked in the 1st, doubled in the 3rd, tripled in the 5th, homered in the 7th, and got a chance to complete it in the 9th inning, but flied out to center and wound up missing it by just a single of all things. Zach Lutz was back at it again today, belting a two-run home run in the 9th inning to make the game a laugher. It is a shame because he would most likely be the starting third baseman for the Mets if he hadn’t gotten hurt just before Wright.

Stars of the Night: 1. Jason Botts (3-for-4, 2B, 3B, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R, BB) (7pts) 2. Zach Lutz (2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, R, 3 K) (26pts) 3. Nick Evans (4-for-5, 2 RBI, R, K) (27pts)

Binghamton Mets 8 – Akron Aeros 10

I wish I had a count of how many terrible loses this year the B-Mets have had. It really should be no wonder why they have one of the worst records of any team in all of minor league baseball.

Brandon Mooore was unspectacular yet again. As usual, however, he still had decent results and left with his team in position to win the game up by two runs at the time of his departure. The offense would push the lead up to four runs before the bullpen implosion occured. The Aeros would put up six runs in the 8th inning on Ricky Brooks and Brandon Sage. All the runs came with two outs.

Sage started the inning and got two outs, but also walked two men and gave up a double to score the first run of the inning. Brooks came in at that point and walked the first two men he faced to walk in a run. A bases loaded single scored two and then the final batter of the inning ripped a double to left field, but the baserunner ahead of him got hung up in between home and third to get the B-Mets out of the game without Brooks ever really recording an out. The B-Mets would never have the lead again. Two out singles from Salomon Manriquez and Raul Reyes scored two runs in the bottom of the 9th, but these bats just don’t have the magic in them and they fell short.

In the Jordany Valdespin watch, he added three more hits, three RBIs, and two stolen bases. He singled in a run in the 2nd inning and then two in the 6th. The fingers remained crossed the mental aspect just clicked in his head all of a sudden.

Stars of the Game: 1. Jordany Valdespin (3-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 SB, K) (36pts) 2. Raul Reyes (2-for-5, HR, 4 RBI, R, BB, K) (9pts) 3. Salomon Manriquez (3-for-5, 2B, RBI, R) (9pts)

St. Lucie Mets 9 – Charlotte Stone Crabs 0

I guess the baby Mets didn’t party too hard with their non-alcoholic champagne after winning the first half championship last night because they had to wake up real early for an 11 am game this morning and played spectacular.

The pitchers were amazing and allowed just two baserunners the entire game. They were lead by who else than Darin Gorski, who was perfect outside of a bloop single in the 3rd inning. I wouldn’t be shocked if this was Gorski’s last start in St. Lucie either. The FSL is clearly no match for him as he lowered his ERA to a league best 1.57 after six more shutout innings today. The only other baserunner in the game was a walk by Estarlin Morel who also struckout two.

Stefan Welch gave the Mets a big lead early on with a three-run home run in the 3rd inning to push the lead to four runs. The home run was his team leading 9th home run of the season. Wilmer Flores followed with a double and is now batting .375/.459/.531 (12-for-32) with 2 doubles, a home run, and a 5:4 BB:K ratio in his last nine games. Could be the start of something bigger for young prospect. The first three men in the 6th inning reached safely and then Rylan Sandoval hit a shot for the grand slam to open this game wide open and then homered again in the 8th inning. He came into the day with just one home run. It should be noted he is one of the players on this team who can legally drink…

Stars of the Game: 1. Rylan Sandoval (3-for-4, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 R, K) (3pts) 2. Stefan Welch (1-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, R) (23pts) 3. Darin Gorski (W, 6 IP, H, 6 SO) (10pts)

Savannah Sand Gnats (OFF/All-Star Game)

Taylor Whitenton started the game and gave up two runs (one earned) on two hits in an inning of work.

Chase Huchingson struckout two in his inning of work.

Greg Peavey hit a batter and gave up a hit in a scoreless inning.

Cory Vaughn hit a two-run home run and was hit by a pitch.

Brooklyn Cyclones 3 – Aberdeen IronBirds 2

Starter Marcos Camarena got hit pretty hard tonight and allowed seven hits over innings. He also walked two, but was able to limit the damage to just two runs by helping himself out with two double plays. Kevin Burkhardt jinxed Casey Hauptman with the story last night about how the only three walks he issued during the college season were intentional walked, as Hauptman walked one tonight.

After playing every game in college for the last four years, Danny Muno already got his first game off in pro ball after playing in just four games. Ismael Tijerina was very good in his spot getting on base four times. In a 2-2 game in the bottom of the 9th J.B. Brown grounded into a double play with no outs and things didn’t look so good, but Javier Rodriguez walked and came around to score all the way from first on a Lucas Stewart double for the walk-off win.

Stars of the Game: 1. Ismael Tijerina (2-for-3, R, 2 BB, K) (3pts) 2. Javier Rodriguez (1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R, BB, 3 K) (6pts) 3. Lucas Stewart (1-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB, K) (1pt)

Kingsport Mets 6 – Johnson City Cardinals 7

Juan Urbina earned a no decision and gave up four runs on seven hits over four innings. He struckout four and walked two.

Greg Pron had three singles and stole a base.

Miguel Tejada hit a solo home run.

Stars of the Game: 1. Greg Pron (3-for-5, R, SB) (3pts) 2. Camden Maron (2-for-4, R, BB) (2pts) 3. Miguel Tejada (1-for-5, HR, RBI, R, 2 K) (1pt)