Mets Minors Recap: Díaz Pitches St. Lucie to Finals

The Brooklyn Cyclones and the St. Lucie Mets both entered play on Thursday with a chance to sweep their respective playoff series. While Brooklyn fell short, St. Lucie got the job done with an outstanding relief appearance from Joel Díaz and a game-winning hit for Kevin Parada. The Rumble Ponies had their own dramatic victory, as Luke Ritter came through with a clutch walk-off double in extras.

The St. Lucie Mets won the FSL East Division and will begin the FSL Championship Series on Sunday.

AAA: Buffalo Bisons (72-64) 12, Syracuse Mets (56-82) 7 Box Score

• 1B Dominic Smith: 2-for-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI, R, SO, .274/.362/.446
• 3B JT Riddle: 3-for-4, 2 HR (11), SO, .277/.298/.485
• RF Daniel Palka: 1-for-5, 2 RBI, 2 SO, .262/.340/.501

The Mets dropped their fourth straight game, letting a 5-1 lead slip away in the sixth inning and failing to make much noise in their comeback efforts. JT Riddle had a two-homer game, while Dominic Smith had a pair of doubles and drove in two runs. The offense combined to strike out 14 times and hit just 4-for-16 with runners in scoring position.

Francisco Álvarez had the night off.

• RHP José Butto: 5.0 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 2.93 ERA
• RHP Stephen Nogosek: 0.0 IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2.33 ERA
• RHP Trey Cobb: (L, 6-5), 0.2 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 5.47 ERA

José Butto had a solid start, tossing five innings of one-run ball and departing the game with his team in the lead. Butto has a 1.02 ERA over his last three starts. He was replaced on the mound by Stephen Nogosek, who failed to record an out in the sixth inning and was charged with four runs. Trey Cobb ultimately received the loss after a blowup appearance of his own, allowing five runs in just 2/3 of an inning to put the game out of reach for the Mets.

AA: Hartford Yard Goats (75-59) 9, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (52-81) 10, F/11 Box Score

• SS Ronny Mauricio: 2-for-6, RBI, R, SB, 2 SO, .254/.291/.461
• LF Carlos Cortes: 1-for-5, HR (11), 3 RBI, BB, SO, .239/.315/.410
• 3B Luke Ritter: 1-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI, R, 2 BB, 2 SO, .219/.327/.392

It took a Herculean effort, but the Rumble Ponies snapped their seven-game winning streak in epic fashion, allowing three runs in the top of the 11th before scoring four runs in the bottom of the 11th for the victory. Ronny Mauricio hit an RBI single with the bases loaded, followed up by Luke Ritter who drove in the winning runs on a bases-clearing double. Carlos Cortes hit a three-run homer earlier in the game to kickstart his team’s comeback from a 5-0 deficit.

• RHP Jesús Vargas: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 6.61 ERA
• RHP Grant Hartwig: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 5 K, 1.14 ERA
• RHP Dedniel Nunez 2.2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K, 3.49 ERA
• RHP Michael Krauza: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2.70 ERA

Jesús Vargas got roughed up in the second inning and made it through just 1 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on three hits. The bullpen was sensational behind him, highlighted by the dynamic duo of Dedniel Núñez and Grant Hartwig, who allowed just one hit and struck out 11 batters across their combined five innings of work. Michael Krauza allowed three runs in the top of the 11^th but ended up being credited with the win after the offense’s walk-off in the bottom half of the inning.

A+: Brooklyn Cyclones (1-1) 1, Aberdeen IronBirds (1-1) 6 Box Score

• 3B William Lugo: 1-for-3, HR (1)
• 1B JT Schwartz: 1-for-4, 2 SO
• CF Alex Ramirez: 0-for-3, BB

The Cyclones had a chance to clinch the North Division Championship Series with a win on Thursday. Instead, the offense was completely shut down. William Lugo hit a solo homer to provide the only run on a night where the team mustered just four hits.

• RHP Dominic Hamel: (L, 0-1), 4.0 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 5 K
• RHP Dylan Hall: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, BB, 2 K
• LHP Nathan Lavender: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, BB, 3 K

Dominic Hamel gave up a two-run homer in the first inning and was off-balance throughout his entire start, giving up five runs in four innings for the loss. The bullpen did a stellar job of keeping the Cyclones in the game, but the offense failed to break through. The series goes to a winner-takes-all Game 3 away at Aberdeen on Friday.

A: Palm Beach Cardinals (0-2) 2, St. Lucie Mets (2-0) 3 Box Score

• C Kevin Parada: 1-for-3, RBI
• 2B D’Andre Smith: 1-for-3, R, BB, SO
• 1B Brad Malm: 0-for-2, R, BB, SO

The Mets became FSL East Division Champs, sweeping the Cardinals in a best-of-three series and clinching a spot in the Florida State League Championship Series. The offense was stymied through the first five innings but found a breakthrough with three runs in the sixth inning which proved to be just enough. The winning run was manufactured by the 2022 draft class, as Kevin Parada singled to drive in D’Andre Smith and help the Mets claim victory.

• RHP Calvin Ziegler: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 3 K
• RHP Paul Gervase: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K
• RHP Joel Díaz: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, BB, 11 K

Incredible outing by Mets 18-year-old prospect Joel Díaz last night to clinch a spot in the Championship Series for the @stluciemets:

6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 11 K, 19 swinging strikes

Fastball up to 95, typical solid curve, but changeup was his best pitch (10 whiffs) pic.twitter.com/0Wvm7AHtkK

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) September 16, 2022

Calvin Ziegler got the start but only recorded four outs, allowing two runs in his brief outing. The Mets turned it over to 18-year-old Joel Díaz to open the fourth inning and he never relinquished the ball, finishing out the game with six superb scoreless innings to get the win. Díaz has not been very sharp this season, but he showed out in the biggest moment of his young career, allowing only three hits and striking out 11 batters.

The Championship Series begins on Sunday, where the Mets will face the winner of the series between the Dunedin Blue Jays and Fort Meyers Mighty Mussels.