Mets Farm Report: Wilmer Flores Shines Bright In All Star Game, Gnats Win Sixth Straight!

Pawtucket 8, Buffalo 5

By Dave [Retire 31]

The Bisons took an early lead, Saturday night, but after a comedy of errors and the bullpen not holding the lead, they dropped another winnable game 8-5 to the Pawtucket Red Sox.

Jeurys Familia started for the Bisons, and he needed all the defense he could get. After walking the first three batters to start the second inning, he was able keep them all from scoring by inducing a popup, and then getting out of the jam with a double play. He allowed two runs in the third after a couple of base hits, a stolen base, another walk, and a sac fly. He was lucky to survive the fourth inning unscathed as well, allowing another hit, another walk, and a wild pitch. All in all it was rough outing for Familia who allowed three runs on six walks and five hits in his four innings of work, with only one strikeout. He got a no decision, but saw his ERA rise to 4.50.

Buffalo was in the lead after scoring one run in the first inning. Matt Den Dekker walked and had his first steal, and Fred Lewis came up with an RBI single to score Den Dekker. In the fourth inning, Buffalo scored four more after Fred Lewis tripled, Josh Satin and Matt Tuiasosopo had back-to-back base hits to score Lewis. Rob Johnson then drew a walk to load the bases. Brad Emaus scored Satin on a sac fly, followed by Johnson stealing a base, and then Corey Wimberly dropping the ax knocking in both runners with a two-run single into left field. Unfortunately, Buffalo wouldn’t score again after that.

Josh Edgin and Pedro Beato ran into trouble in their combined two innings. They allowed five runs on four hits, and were victimized by several errors behind them from their defense. Beato received both the blown save and the loss. Justin Hampson would eventually bring some peace to the bullpen with three scoreless innings of relief with only one hit allowed, striking out five as well.

Herd Rumblings: Terry Collins said Ruben Tejada will begin a rehabilitation assignment tomorrow with Buffalo. The Herd committed four errors tonight, Tuiasosopo had one, Lewis had two, and Emaus had a throwing error. Ronny Cedeno continues rehabbing in Buffalo, going 0-3 with a walk and is now 1-7 in his rehab assignment. Corey Wimberly and Fred Lewis both had two hits Saturday night, and both are hitting over .300. Up next, the Bisons finish out their four game series with the Pawtucket Red Sox at 1:05 with Garrett Olson taking the hill for the Herd..

Altoona 7, Binghamton 1

By Tim Burns

Two three-run innings by the Altoona Curve proved to be the Binghamton Mets downfall on Saturday night, as the B-Mets dropped game two of their three game series by a score of 7-1.

Darin Gorski started the game for the B-Mets, and in the end was issued his first loss in the month of June. Gorski worked five innings, and allowed six earned runs on ten hits, striking out five Curve batters along the way. The Curve scored runs in bunches against Gorski, tagging him for three runs in the top of the second and fourth innings, including back to back homers in the latter of the two.

Brandon Moore relieved Gorski in the sixth inning, making his third appearance in a B-Mets uniform this season. Over two innings, Moore allowed one run on two hits, and struck out one Altoona batter. Moore walked only one batter in the game, a total that has decreased progressively over his last three outings from three (in one inning), to two in his next (in 1/3 of an inning), to the one over two innings last night.

Edgar Ramirez and Brad Holt each pitched one of the final two frames, shutting down the Curve’s offense with neither allowing a run or a hit.

At the plate for the B-Mets, Dustin Martin scored the lone run in the game for the home team. After being issued a walk, Martin stole second base and then scored on a Rylan Sandoval single. Sandoval was thrown out on the play trying to leg out a double.

Juan Lagares was 2/4 for the home team in the game, including his fourth triple of the season in the bottom of the third inning. Lagares was stranded at third base when Reese Havens struck out to end the frame. Eric Campbell was 2/4 on the night as well, adding a double to his season total which now stands at 11.

Kyle McPherson was the game winner for the visiting Curve. McPherson, who was named the Pittsburgh Pirates 2011 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, made his first start of 2012 after sitting out the last two months with shoulder inflammation.

B-Mets Buzz: Game three of the series is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at NYSEG Stadium. Probable pitchers are Greg Peavey (3-2, 5.04) for the B-Mets against Altoona’s Shairon Martis (4-2, 3.67). After the game it’s back on the road for the Binghamton Mets as they begin an eight game journey which will take them to Akron and Erie. Tuesday night in Akron will include the completion of the game suspended in Binghamton on June 3rd as part of a doubleheader.

Savannah 9, Rome 8

By Fonzie13

Saturday night in Rome, the Savannah Sand Gnats held on for dear life as the Rome Braves (ATL) rallied for 4 runs in the bottom of the 9th but came up a buck short as the Gnats (40-26) capture their 6th straight with a 9-8 victory.

Despite Savannah being out-hit by Rome (39-27) 16 to 9, the Gnats with help from a shoddy Braves defense, got the big hits all night. The Braves took an early 2-0 lead with 2 runs in the bottom of the 2nd. The Sand Gnats got 1 back in the top of the 3rd on a run scoring double by 2B Brandon Brown (1-4, BB, 1 RBI). Rome answered right back with another run in their half of the 3rd to go up 3-1.

Heading into the 5th with the Gnats trailing 3-1, Rome starting kicking the ball around the infield with back to back errors on routine grounders with 1 out followed by a 3 run HR by SS TJ Rivera ( 1-5, HR(8), 3 RBI). Another error after the Rivera HR, followed by a walk and an RBI single by 1B Brian Harrison ( 2-4, 2B, 1 RBI) gave the Gnats a 4 run 5th inning and a 5-3 lead.

The Gnats added to their lead in the 7th with solo HR’s by LF Dustin Lawley (1-4, 3 R, HR(8), 1 RBI) and 3B Aderlin Rodriguez (2-5, HR(11). 1 RBI) for a 7-3 lead. Each team traded runs in the 8th inning to put the score at 8-4 heading into the 9th. The Gnats tacked on an insurance run in the 9th, one that would prove to be the winning run. The Braves got the leadoff man aboard as Sergio Miranda was HBP, followed with an Abner Abreu single that pushed Miranda to 3rd but Abreu trying to stretch it into a double was thrown out at 2B by RF Greg Pron. That play proved costly for Rome as they would bunch up 4 hits around 2 walks, score 4 times and leave the bases loaded with the tying and winning runs aboard and the Gnats narrowly escaping disaster with a 9-8 final.

RHP Jacob DeGrom (2-1, 2.88) got the start and was less than stellar, pitching 5 innings and touched up for 3 earned runs on 8 hits, 1 BB 3 K’s and gave up 1 HR. Chasen Bradford spelled DeGrom and was excellent in 2 innings of work giving up just 1 hit and punching out 4. Jared West came on in relief of Bradord in the 8th and pitched an inning an a third giving up 4 runs on 5 hits, 3 of the runs coming in the 9th and 2 strikeouts. TJ Chism picked up his 12th save in 13 opportunities, coming in the 9th to put out the blaze set by West. TJ made it a little dicey himself, with 2/3rds of an inning he allowed 1 run on 2 hits and 2 walks and loaded up the bases before getting PH Brandon Drury on a goundout to SS for the final out.

Gnats Gnotes: With their 6th game win streak, the Sand Gnats (40-26) have gained sole possesion of 2nd place of the Southern Division of the S.A.L. trailing the Asheville Tourists (COL)(47-22) by 5.5 games. The Gnats were tied with Charleston (NYY) heading into Saturday night but the Riverdogs (39-27) were beaten by Greensboro (MIA)(45-24) by a score of 5-4.

St. Lucie Mets Key All Star Game Victory

By Joe D.

The St. Lucie Mets were well represented at the 2012 Florida State League All Star Game last night.

Third baseman Wilmer Flores was the star of the game and went 3-for-4, driving in the South’s first run in the seventh inning and then providing the biggest hit in the game in a three-run eighth inning, a two-run single that put the South Division ahead for good in their 6-3 victory. He was named the All Star Game MVP!

Other notable Mets accomplishments on Saturday night included right fielder Cory Vaughn who doubled in two at-bats, and catcher Blake Forsythe who went 1-for-2 in the game. On the pitching side, Chase Huchingson worked a perfect third inning, Cory Mazzoni allowed one run in the fourth, and Adam Kolarek struck out two in a perfect seventh inning.

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