Las Vegas (14-8) 4, Reno 3
Las Vegas was able to secure its 8th straight win behind a solid pitching performance from Matt Bowman who went 5 innings allowing one run on two hits and two walks striking out one. Bowman’s sinking fastball was on its A game last night as he recorded ten outs via the ground ball. Lefty Duane Below worked 2.1 scoreless innings in relief dropping his ERA to 1.64 on the season as he looks to be the 51’s long man. Chasen Bradford came in with two runners on and stranded both in his 0.2 innings of work and has yet to give up a run this year in 10 innings. Newly promoted Binghamton closer Jon Velasquez got thrown right into the fire in the 9th inning with a 4-1 lead. He gave up a two-run two out HR before striking out Jamie Romak to end the game and get his first AAA save. Matt Reynolds went 2-4 with two doubles giving him 11 on the season. He also scored a run and his now hitting .326/.384/.547 with 21 RBI’s on the season. Johnny Monell added three single and a RBI and is now hitting .407 on the year to go with 15 RBI. Alex Castellanos extended his hit streak to 6 games going 1-3 with a BB, R, RBI, and his 3rd stolen base of the season while playing left field and batting 4th. Box Score. Thorsday is upon us again as he pitches against Reno at 10:05 ET tonight with Las Vegas going for their 9th straight win.
Binghamton (13-8) 2, New Hampshire 1
After giving up a first inning solo homerun to Ryan Shimpf 21 year old Gabriel Ynoa settled down to thrown 6 good innings to get his 2nd win of the season. Ynoa did walk four hitters which is unusual for him but was able to limit the damage thanks to 8 strike outs and two double plays turned behind him. Ynoa had troubling locating his fastball although he did touch 96 MPH in the 4th inning and relied more on his improving slider and already good changeup. With Velasquez gone Paul Sewald got the save chance and pitched perfect inning with two K’s to pick up his 3rd save and extend his scoreless streak to start the season to 13 innings. Brandon Nimmo was in the lineup two days after being removed from a game with a “pinch” in his knee. Nimmo went 1-4 on the night and has now reached base in 18 straight games after failing to do so in the first 2 games of the year. The big hit of the night came from Gavin Cecchini who broke a 1-1 game in the 6th inning with a RBI single that proved to be the game winner. Cecchini is now hitting .333 on the year with 11 RBI and has a hit in all four games since returning from his groin injury. Dustin Lawley had another good night at the plate going 2-4 with his 7th 2B, 11th RBI, and stole his 5th base of the year. Box Score. Luis Cessa will be on the mound today for the B’Mets as they take on New Hampshire at 1:05 and look to win their 6th straight game.
In Binghamton injury news T.J. Rivera is expected to come off the DL today and Jayce Boyd has missed the last three games with tightness in his back. Michael Fulmer has been promoted and will make the start on Sunday, Jon Velasquez has been promoted to Las Vegas in the corresponding move with Matt Koch going to the bullpen.
Bradenton 12, St. Lucie (11-11) 1
Not a crisp game for St. Lucie as they made four errors including Jhoan Urena‘s 10th of the year, three wild pitches, and allowed 20 base runners. Logan Taylor got the start and lasted only 3.2 innings allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits and four walks while he struck out three. Robert Coles allowed six runs (three earned) in his bad inning of work while on the bright side Julian Hilario and Kelly Secrest combined to pitch 3.1 innings of scoreless baseball. The offensive star of the night was Amed Rosario who had two hits including his first triple of the year. Rosario is now up a .250 average on the season after his modest 5 game hit streak. Matt Oberste followed up his monster 6 RBI night with two singles and has a season slash line of .273/.300/.470 now. Michael Conforto went 0-4 with two strikeouts and is now batting under .300 after going 2-18 in his last four games. Box Score. Robert Whalen looks to get his first win of the year despite a cool 1.93 ERA tonight at 6;30 vs. Bradenton.
Lakewood 2, Savannah (7-14) 1
The Sand Gnats and the BlueClaws were tied 1-1 going into the 8th until Alberto Baldonado let the eventual winning run score on a wild pitch. Casey Meisner got the start for Savannah and looked good going 6.1 innings giving up only the lone run on eight hits and one walk. The Gnats could only eek out three hits on the night with Wuilmer Becerra getting the biggest one an RBI double in the 6th inning to tie the game. Luis Guillorme reached base twice with a single and a walk and now has a .434 OBP in the early going. Box Score. Struggling Josh Prevost (0-3, 6.75 ERA) will be on the mound at Grayson Stadium at 6:05 as the Sand Gnats host Lakewood.
