Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

David Peterson had just a 0.64 ERA when he was sent down to the minor leagues last week, but that didn’t stop the Rochester hitters from knocking him around for eight runs.

AAA: Syracuse Mets 6 (6-13) vs. Rochester Red Wings 13 (11-9) Box Score

  • DH Carlos Rincon: 3-for-5, 1 HR (2), 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, 1 SO, .298/.344/.439
  • SS Wyatt Young: 1-for-5, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 SO, .294/.455/.382
  • LF Carlos Cortes: 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 B, 1 SO, .179/.258/.286

The Syracuse Mets started off strong in this one, as Carlos Cortes hit a two-run homer in the first inning for his second home run in as many games. Cortes, who was acquired in the trade that sent Billy McKinney to the Dodgers last season, is now one of just five Mets to record multiple homers for a team that has struggled mightily with the bats all season. The Mets scratched across three runs in the top of the eighth on an error and two bases-loaded walks, but the game was already well out of reach by that point.

We also got to see the first time the new two disengagement rule was used. The Rochester pitcher had made two pickoff attempts to first base in the same at-bat and then the catcher called timeout after the second one. The defensive team is only allowed to make two disengagements per at-bat with the third resulting in a balk –which was called in this situation because a timeout by the pitcher or catcher also counts as a disengagement. The pitcher can only do a third pickoff throw if they’re successful in getting the runner out.

  • LHP David Peterson: (L, 0-1), 4.2 IP, 9 H, 9 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 13.50 ERA
  • RHP Adonis Medina: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 3.00 ERA
  • RHP R.J. Alvarez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 5.14 ERA

David Peterson has made 28 major league appearances with the New York Mets, but he was making his Triple-A debut when he took the mound on Thursday. Peterson got battered early and often, allowing nine runs to score on an afternoon where he was constantly having to work out of jams. Adonis Medina made his first appearance for Syracuse since impressively striking out the side in his New York Mets debut, surrendering a home run to Joey Meneses and walking three batters in just two innings of work.

AA: Erie SeaWolves 7 (11-7) vs. Binghamton Rumble Ponies 5 (4-13) Box Score

  • 2B Luke Ritter: 3-for-5, 1 HR (3), 1 RBI, .250/.381/.481
  • CF Johneshwy Fargas: 3-for-4, 1 HR (2), 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 SB, .314/.375/.486
  • 3B Brett Baty: 1-for-5, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 2 SO, .310/.375/.483

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies made the curious decision to bat Francisco Álvarez leadoff, and he reached base twice to justify that decision. The story of the offense was consolidated to the fifth and sixth innings. Brett Baty cleared the bases with a three-run double in the fifth, and Luke Ritter and Johneshwy Fargas both went yard in the sixth. The Rumble Ponies loaded the bases with one out in the eighth inning, but they failed to scratch across any more runs.

The Rumble Ponies have struggled to get solid innings from any of their starting pitchers outside of Jose Butto, and Alex Valverde has continued that trend with another disappointing outing. Valverde labored through the first inning, and a two-run home run from the SeaWolves’ Dillon Dingler in the fifth inning spelled further disaster. Any momentum built by the offense during the bottom of the fifth was immediately squashed when Yeizo Campos gave up a three-run homer to Quincy Nieporte.

Bryce Montes de Oca did everything he could to keep the Rumble Ponies in it, and he has now allowed just one run across five outings this season. He has 14 strikeouts and has allowed only two hits in seven innings of work.

A+: Bowling Green Hot Rods 7 (13-5), Brooklyn Cyclones 6 (9-9) Box Score

The Brooklyn Cyclones scored all six of their runs in the last two innings, but the late surge just barely fell short. Wilmer Reyes was the catalyst for everything that went well for the Cyclones, scoring two with a single in the eighth inning and then clearing the bases with a double in the ninth to cut the Hot Rods’ lead to just one run. Brandon McIlwain stepped up to the plate with the tying and winning runs on base, but grounded out to third in a disappointing end to an electric rally.

  • RHP Jose Chacin: (L, 0-1), 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 6 K, 1.53 ERA
  • RHP Evy Ruibal: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 6.75 ERA
  • RHP Nolan Clenney: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 4.82 ERA

This was the first start of the season where Jose Chacin allowed more than one run, yet he was still tagged with the loss on a night where the offense took eight innings to get going. Evy Ruibal retired just one of the five batters he faced in the seventh inning, walking three batters and hitting another with a pitch. The Hot Rods scored three runs in the seventh despite not getting a single hit, and another run in the eighth off Nolan Clenney proved to be the perfect amount of run support.

Mike Vasil, Photo by Ed Delany of MMO

A: Daytona Tortugas 3 (9-9) vs. St. Lucie Mets 2 (11-7) Box Score

The St. Lucie Mets had seven hits on Thursday, but Raul Beracierta was the only player to register multiple base knocks. Alex Ramirez legged out a double in the third inning for his seventh extra-base hit on the season, and Carlos Dominguez hit his team-leading fifth home run in the fourth inning. The home run from Dominguez was 108.4 mph off the bat.

The Mets failed to score after the fourth inning, only getting one runner into scoring position across the final five innings.

The Mets added 18-year-old shortstop Kevin Villavicencio to the roster for the game and he made his stateside debut by going 0-for-4. Villavicencio hit .303/.373/.414 in the Dominican Summer League last year.

Mike Vasil only gave up one hit in six innings of work, but two wild pitches, a throwing error, and a passed ball contributed to two unearned runs crossing the plate. Vasil was up to 96 mph with his fastball and he had an impressive 50% whiff rate on the pitch during the outing. Overall, he had a 36% whiff rate in what was his longest pro start.

Brendan Hardy was excellent, retiring all six batters he faced and striking out three. Hardy now has a whopping 16 strikeouts in seven inning pitched and has allowed only three hits in that span. He has been mostly 95-96 mph with his fastball.

Nathan Lavender did not fare nearly as well, giving up a run for the first time all season and receiving a hard-luck loss in the process.