Photo by MiLB.com
El Paso 2, Las Vegas (75-64) 1 F/11
The 51’s came into the four games series against the Chihuahuas with 1.5 game division lead but have seen it dwindle down to half a game after losing two of three. They play the last game of the series tonight with Seth Lugo on the mound for Las Vegas at 10:05 ET. Then they play a four game set at home vs. Tacoma to finish out the regular season.
El Paso scored a run in the top of the 11th on a solo homerun by Jason Hagerty off Chasen Bradford who took his fourth loss of the year. Las Vegas went down 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the inning with Dilson Herrera grounding out to the game. The 51’s offense was non-existent as they collected only three hits with the big one being Travis Taijeron hitting his 25th homerun of the season. Here is video of the homerun.
Brandon Nimmo was 0-4 while playing center field and batting eighth, he is hitting just .138 in his last ten games. Matt Reynolds was 0-3 with a walk lowering his average for the year to .265. Herrera went 0-5 out of the leadoff spot.
Tim Stauffer made another great start going 7 innings allowing one run on eight hits and struck out three. He now has a 2.10 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 51.1 innings for Las Vegas. Vic Black pitched a scoreless 9th inning allowing a walk and striking out one. Dario Alvarez faced two batters, allowed a single and recorded a strikeout. Scott Rice lowered his ERA to 1.86 with scoreless inning. Box Score
Binghamton (75-61) 16, Reading 4
The B’Mets took care of business winning and dropping their magic number to one before waiting to see the outcome of the Trenton Thunder game which went extra innings. Trenton lost 6-5 to New Britain in 12 innings later in the night which clinched a playoff spot for the defending champion Binghamton Mets.
Binghamton pounded out 21 hits and walked five times as well as going 11-25 with runners in scoring position. Everyone in the Mets lineup had at least one hit and RBI. Xorge Carrillo was 4-6 with three runs scored, three RBI, and two homeruns. Here is video of the second homerun. L.J. Mazzilli went 4-5 with a walk, two RBI, two runs scored, and his 18th double.
Joe Benson was 1-3 with three walks, three walks, and his 4th homerun for Binghamton. Josh Rodriguez was 1-4 with a run scored and two sac flies giving him 76 RBI on the year. T.J. Rivera was 2-6 with a RBI, he has five straight multi-hit games and has hit in 13 straight.
Starting pitched Tyler Pill helped himself going 3-5 with a double, RBI, and two runs scored. He now has a .458/.462/.542 slash line this year in 24 at bats after hitting .400/.400/.650 in 20 at bats last season. He also moved to 6-0 with the B’Mets this year after going 7 innings allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks. He struck out three and lowered his ERA to 2.08 in AA.
Josh Smoker pitched a scoreless 8th inning issuing a walk, he has walked six and allowed three runs over last 5.2 innings. Some fatigue may be setting in for Smoker who has thrown just 28 innings last season after missing all of 2013. Akeel Morris struck out the side in the 9th inning. Over his last 20 innings he has allowed one run on eight hits while striking out 22. Box Score
Savannah Sand Gnats had their final regular season game at historic Grayson Stadium rained out but they will return there on September 11th for game two of the first round of playoffs.
Brooklyn (32-38) 7, Connecticut 1 Game One
Desmond Lindsay (1-3, two RBI) got the Cyclones on the board in the 4th inning with a two-out two-run single which would be all the offense starter Edioglis Villasmil needed to pick up his first Brooklyn win. Villasmil went 6 innings allowing one run on six hits. P.J. Conlon pitched a scoreless innings giving up a single and struck out two. He has not allowed a run in 16 pro innings with 24 strikeouts.
Catcher Jose Garcia was 1-3 with two RBI, two runs scored, and his 6th double raising his season average to .304 for Brooklyn. David Thompson went 1-4 with two runs scored and Vinny Siena was 1-3 with a run scored and a sacrifice fly. Box Score
Connecticut 2, Brooklyn (32-39) 1 Game Two Walk-off
Brooklyn lost on a two-out walk-off single by the Tigers first basemen Will Allen. Jeffrey Diehl supplied the offense for the Cyclones going 2-3 with his 5th homerun. Lindsay was 1-1 with a walk extending his hitting streak to five games. Nicco Blank fell to 0-5 giving up one run in 3.2 innings of relief. Box Score
Update: both Siena (2015 14th rounder) and Diehl have been promoted to St. Lucie who have four games left in the season.
Kingsport Mets start their playoff run tonight vs the Greeneville Astros at 7:00 ET.
