Nashville 6, Las Vegas (29-21) 1
Duane Below was coming off back-to-back complete game wins but was unable to keep the magic going as the 51’s dropped their 4th straight game. Below was solid thought going 6 innings allowing only two runs on seven hits, two walks, while striking out two. Cody Satterwhite followed giving up three runs being able to record only one out. Scott Rice relieved him letting two inherited runners score and one of his own score without getting an out. Chase Bradford and Jon Velasquez closed the game out combining for 1.2 scoreless.
Las Vegas was able to produce 14 base runners but weren’t able to drive them in going 0-7 with runners in scoring position stranding 11 runners on the base paths. Johnny Monell was a perfect 3-3 with a walk on the night while ctaching and hitting 4th. Jayce Boyd was looking for his first AAA hit after going 0-3 in his debut and he was successful collecting two of them with walk mixed in. T.J. Rivera, Wilfredo Tovar, and Matt Reynolds combined to go 0-12 from the top three spots in the lineup. Box Score
Steven Matz (6-2, 1.99) will take the hill at 3:05 today against Nashville who has Barry Zito throwing for them.
Altoona 13, Binghamton (25-23) 4
Michael Conforto made his Binghamton debut last night wearing #50, batting 3rd, and playing LF in the lopsided loss. Conforto walked in each of his first three at bats, not really getting anything to hit at all. In his 4th at bat he hit a soft ground ball up the middle that the SS made a running throw to retire him on. Conforto then came up with two outs in the 9th as the B’Mets last hope against a tough lefty striking out on a questionable called strike three. Conforto looked calm and collected at the plate, hopefully he will get some more pitches to hit today. Gavin Cecchini continues to rake going 3-4 with two RBI’s and a walk raising his season average up to .315 with 22 RBI’s. All three hits were line drives while the one time he got out it was a line drive to RF that was caught. Eudy Pina was 1-5 with his 5th triple, run scored , and his 7th RBI of the year.
Robert Gsellman was making his AA debut as well after going 6-0 with a 1.76 ERA in St. Lucie but it did not go very smooth giving up six runs on eight hits and two walks. He did strike out six but threw 103 pitches with only 51 for strikes in his 4+ innings of work. Gsellman was hitting 92-93 MPH on the gun with his fastball and the curveball had great movement but he was unable to hit his spots all night long. On a good note for Gsellman he was 2-2 hitting for the first time in his professional career. Matt Koch came in to relieve Gsellman letting one of the two inherited runners score but notching a scoreless inning on his ledger. Bobby Parnell got the 8th inning started with a ground out to 3B then he just fell apart letting 7 batters in a row reach against him, 5 with hits and 2 walks. Parnell was charged with 5 runs in only a 0.1 of an inning after leaving with the bases loaded. Box Score
Seth Lugo (2-2, 2.56) takes the mound today for Binghamton as they try to avoid being swept by Altoona at 6:00
St. Lucie (24-25) 4, Fort Myers 2 F/11 WALKOFF WIN
Matt Oberste started the bottom of the 11th off with a double putting himself in scoring position for Dominic Smith with nobody out. Smith entered the game with a 11-game hitting streak and was 0-4 until his final at bat when he hit a 2-0 fastball over the left field fence for his 1st HR off the season to win the game in dramatic fashion. Smith now has a career best 12-game hitting streak and has hit safely in 18 out of 20. In those 20 games he has 12 doubles, HR, and registered 19 RBI’s. Smith’s 13 doubles have him tied for the Florida State League lead while he has yet to face a pitcher younger than him all year. Amed Rosario also had a good night going 2-4 with his 12th double (2nd in FSL), 5th stolen base, and scored a run raising his average to .281. Oberste was 2-4 in the game with his 7th double and his 3rd homerun of the season.
John Gant made his 1st start since being demoted to St. Lucie throwing 6 innings of one-run ball but got a no-decision. Gant gave up three hits, three walks, and striking out eight in his first High-A start. Josh Smoker came in to get the 6-out save but was unable to hold onto the lead as he gave up a run in the 8th to tie the game at 2-2. Smoker pitched two innings giving up the run on two hits, a walk, wild pitch, and struck out three. Kelly Secrest pitched scoreless 10th and 11th innings to pick up his 4th win in relief. Box Score
St. Lucie takes on Fort Myers again today at 1:00 with Miller Diaz (2-3, 3.32) making the start.
Savannah (24-25) 6, Charleston 1
Eudor Garcia had a good night for the Sand Gnats going 3-4 with his 12th RBI and scoring a run when he stole home as part of a double steal. The other end of that double steal was Jon Leroux who was 1-4 but hit his 2nd homerun of the series giving him three on the year. Wuilmer Becerra followed up Saturdays 4-hit night by going 2-4 scoring two runs. Luis Guillorme collected two hits, scored a run, and picked up his 5th steal while his average rose to .317 on the year. Jonathan Johnson stretched his hitting streak to 7-games with his 1-5 night. Tomas Nido had two hits giving him a modest 4-game hitting streak while he has drove home six runners in that span.
Scarlyn Reyes picked up his 4th win of the year going 6 innings allowing one run on four hits and one walk while striking out six. James Duff followed with two scoreless innings of relief notching three strikeouts in the process. Alberto Baldonado pitched a scoreless 9th with two strikeouts lowering his ERA to 2.22. Box Score
The Sand Gnats play this afternoon at 2:05 with Corey Oswalt (3-1, 4.23) going against Charleston
Both of the Mets Dominican Summer League teams had their first games of the season yesterday with both teams winning. The DSL Mets2 won 2-0 with their most notable player being $1 million bonus signee Kenny Hernandez who played 3B going 0-3. Box Score. The DSL Mets1 won 3-2 in exciting fashion on a walk-off error after the Mets had only one hit coming into the 9th. The players to watch on the Mets! roster are Juan Uriarte, Edgar Fermin, and Miguel Patino. Box Score
Promotion/Roster Notes
Jayce Boyd was added to Las Vegas but they are still down two players with Dan Rohlfing and Kyle Johnson going on the DL.
Michael Conforto and Yeixon Ruiz added to Binghamton.
Stefan Sabol, Alfredo Reyes, and Tucker Tharp added to St. Lucie with Jhoan Urena hitting the 7-day DL with wrist injury.
Joe Tuschak added to Savannah.
It should also be noted that L.J. Mazzilli is scheduled to be reinstated on Monday after serving his 50-game suspension. The plan is for him to get back into the swing of things in St. Lucie before moving on to Binghamton.
