Las Vegas (36-29) 6, Salt Lake 4
Darin Gorski had a quality start going 6 innings giving up three runs on six hits, zero walks, and struck out six helping him to his 4th win of the year. Chase Huchingson relieved him and threw a perfect inning with one strikeout in his 2nd AAA appearance (0.1 scoreless on Saturday) after pitching at Binghamton this year. Zack Thornton had two rough outings in a row giving up 5 runs in 2.1 innings but rebounded last night to pitch a scoreless inning allowing just a walk and striking out one. Scott Rice started the 9th getting two outs and walked a batter that would come around to score off Jon Velasquez who got the final out despite giving up two hits to out winning run at the plate.
Left fielder Brandon Allen was 3-4 with two doubles (13), scored a run, and knocked in three giving him 32 RBI on the year. Alex Castellanos was 2-4 with his 20th double while scoring two runs, he is now hitting 12-30 (.400) with 6 RBI over his last 10 games. Wilfredo Tovar was 2-4 giving him a .325 (13-40) average with seven stolen bases and a 6/3 BB/K over his last 10 games. Travis Taijeron was 1-2 with a walk, run scored, and knocked in his 32 run of the year. Jayce Boyd was 1-4 with a two-run double and now leads the Mets minor leagues with 22 two-baggers on the season. Johnny Monell was just 1-4 lowering his average to .371 but extending his hit streak to 11 games. Matt Reynolds came into the game hot but cooled down with an 0-4 night while playing shortstop. Box Score
Las Vegas is hosting Salt Lake again tonight at 10:05 ET with Rainy Lara (4-2, 3.57) listed on the game notes as the starter despite being shown still on the Binghamton roster.
Binghamton was off last night but are back at it tonight with Gabriel Ynoa (2-4, 5.72) getting the start vs. Portland at 7:00.
St. Lucie (33-31) 3, Clearwater 2 F/11
Right hander Michael Gibbons made his Mets and pro debut and was absolutely fantastic pitching 7 scoreless innings allowing only two singles and a HBP all night never letting a runner touch 2nd base. He struck out four and was hitting 93-94 MPH with his fastball that he showed great command of. He only needed to face 23 hitters to retire 21 batters on the night and was scheduled to be a spot start with him going to Brooklyn next week but he could have changed some minds. Gibbons left with a 2-0 lead and Kelly Secrest was the first man out of the bullpen for St. Lucie to pitch the 8th inning. Secrest gave up a run on two hits while striking out one raising his ERA to 3.51 on the year. Without Akeel Morris on the roster lefty Josh Smoker was given the save opportunity, he quickly gave up the lead with the 2nd batter hitting a game tying double after the first singled. Smoker would rebound to get three outs sending the game to extra innings. The Mets did nothing in the top of the 10th and Smoker held Clearwater off the board to force the game into the 11th. The game remained scoreless through the 11th and 12th with Mike Hepple pitching those innings for the Mets,
Stefan Sabol led off the top of the 13th with his 5th double since being promoted to St. Lucie and Amed Rosario promptly followed with single to left field to score the game-winning run. Kyle Regnault pitched a quick and easy 1-2-3 13th with two strikeouts to pick up his first save. Rosario was 2-5 with his 16th double, walk, and his 16th RBI of the year breaking out of his June long slump and raising his average to .263 for the year. Yeixon Ruiz and Maikis De La Cruz were both 2-6 with a stolen base on the night. Dominic Smith had a rough birthday going 0-6 failing to reach base. Jeff McNeil and the rehabbing Brandon Nimmo each went 0-5 with a walk while Nimmo also scored a run. Box Score
John Gant (0-0, 2.75) takes the mound tonight for St. Lucie as they play Clearwater at 7:00.
Hickory 4, Savannah (34-30) 1
Casey Meisner failed to pick up his 5th straight win as he struggled with the long ball giving up two in his 6.2 innings. All four of the runs came on the to HR’s as Meisner only gave up five hits and one walk while striking out five. It was just his 2nd loss of the year and raised him ERA to 2.12 on the year. James Duff pitched 1.1 scoreless innings allowing a hit and that is it, his ERA is now 2.90 for the year.
The Sand Gnats collected only five hits on the night while going hitless (0-5) with runners in scoring position stranding seven runners on base. Eudor Garcia was the only Gnat with multiple hits going 2-4 with his 9th double and scoring the only Savannah run. Tomas Nido was 1-4 with his 9th double and has now hit safely in 7 of the last 10 games. Luis Guillorme was 1-4, he has now hit safe;y in 8 of his last 10 games. Jon Leoux was 0-3 with a walk and knocked in the only Savannah run of the night. Wuilmer Becerra went 0-3 with a walk and two strikeouts to lower his season average to .284. Box Score
The Sand Gnats host Asheville tonight at 7:05 with Casey Delgado (3-0, 2.65) getting the start.
Roster News
St. Lucie added right handed pitcher Michael Rollins to their active roster yesterday, he pitched for Wheaton College in Massachusetts and graduated in 2014. In his senior year he pitched 12 games (9 starts) going 4-1 with a 1.89 ERA in 57 innings while collecting 37 strikeouts but got 11.84 groundouts per game. Last summer he pitched in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League going 4-2 with 59 strikeouts in 50.2 innings while holding opponents to a .240 average. Gibbons is 22 years old and listed at 6’3. Catcher Tyler Moore was reactivated Sunday for Savannah after being out since May 31st. Alfredo Reyes was sent down to Brooklyn in the corresponding move to make room for Moore. Take all these probable starting pitchers with a grain of salt because there is frequent roster movement going on making tough to nail down what is actually going to happen until the lineups come out.
