LAS VEGAS 6, SALT LAKE 3
The Las Vegas 51′s used six pitchers to complete the series sweep against the Salt Lake Bees 6-3. Rafael Montero started the game and fired 5.1 innings of no-hit ball, walking three and striking out five. Montero carried the no-hitter into the sixth before his high pitch count caught up to him and manager Wally Backman pulled him with one out in the inning and the team up 4-0 at the time. Montero improved to 4-1 on the season with a 3.67 ERA, 41 strikeouts and 18 walks in 41.2 innings. The Bees would get to the 51′s bullpen, but would come up a bit short. Andrew Brown would go yard again hitting his sixth home run in fourteen games with Las Vegas which brings his average to .386. All but two Las Vegas batters would record a hit in this game. The 51′s return to Cashman Field for a four-game set against the Tacoma Rainiers. Noah Syndergaard looks to pick up his fifth win of the season on Saturday.
HARRISBURG 4, BINGHAMTON 3
Kevin Plawecki goes deep and drives in three, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Binghamton Mets lose to the Harrisburg Senators 4-3. Matthew Bowman started for the Mets lasting six innings giving up three runs on seven hits. Cody Satterwhite and Adam Kolarek kept Binghamton in this one each throwing a perfect innings. Plawecki would tie the game on a two-run single in the bottom half of the eighth. Chase Bradford was called upon to keep the game tied in the ninth but couldn’t, allowing the Senators to score one run on three hits. Warner Madrigal came in for Harrisburg and secured their eleventh win of the season forcing the Mets to go three up and three down. Both teams are back at it on Saturday as Binghamton sends Rainy Lara to the bump.
ST. LUCIE 9, PALM BEACH 1
The St. Lucie Mets had a relentless offensive attack on the Palm Beach Cardinals, defeating them 9-1 on Friday. Every Mets starter recorded at least one hit, six of them had two or more hits, and each of those six drove in at least one run. They would tally 19 hits in this one with four doubles. Less confusing would be St. Lucie’s pitching as Luis Cessa went a dominate eight innings giving up one run on four hits and Paul Sewald would finish it off. With three hits on Friday, T.J. Rivera would bring his season average to .397. Brandon Nimmo also continues to hit, and his three on Friday brought his average to .344. Hopefully the Mets saved some for Saturday as Matt Koch looks for his fourth win of the season.
SAVANNAH 5, WEST VIRGINIA 1
Miller Diaz improved to 3-0, thanks to a 5-run fourth inning as the Sand Gnats improve to 23-9, with a 5-1 win over West Virginia. Diaz went 5.2 innings giving up the only Power run in the second inning. Akeel Morris came in for some work and only went 2.1 innings giving up two hits while striking out five. Morris has yet to give up a run of any kind this season and has 30 strikeouts in 18.2 innings. Opponents are hitting just .117 against him. Four Sand Gnats would record an RBI in this one, and Jorge Rivero would have the only extra-base hit which was a RBI triple on the fourth. After sweeping West Virginia, Savannah will look to make it five in a row as they continue their road trip with a four-game series against Charleston starting on Saturday. John Gant is scheduled to start the game.
METS MINORS PLAYER of the NIGHT
As is the case every night when you have to choose one player to take this honor, several fit the bill. There are a couple of players in the Mets organization that are hitting close to .400 a month into the season, three of which I mentioned on Friday. There are several pitchers that saw action on Friday that also could be up for the award. In the end I couldn’t look past Rafael Montero’s no-hit appearance over his outing, picking up his fourth win in the process. Montero is the MMN Player of the Night.
