Triple-A: Worcester Red Sox (77-66) 11, Syracuse Mets (58-82) 5 Box Score
- Jose Peroza 3B: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, K, .313/.353/.688
- Michael Perez C: 2-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI, K, .201/.305/.333
- Brandon McIlwain CF: 1-for-4, BB, .250/.407/.453
The Mets jumped off to a very quick start on Sunday, scoring three runs on a two-run triple by Peroza and an RBI single by Perez. Unfortunately, they were limited to just two more runs for the remainder of the game, the latter of which coming on Perez’s solo home run in the sixth inning. After slumping massively to end his time in Binghamton (he hit .146/.180/.188 in August), Peroza has two multi-hit games in his first four Triple-A games. McIlwain has cooled off from a blazing hot August, but he still has a .351 OBP through the first half of September.
- RHP David Griffin (2-5, 7.33 ERA) 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
- RHP Nolan Clenney (L, 0-3, 6.30 ERA) 1.0 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
- LHP Tyler Jay (0-1, 6.00 IP) 2.0 IP, H, ER, 4 K
Griffin was decent in Sunday’s start against the Red Sox, limiting the damage to just two runs despite allowing six batters to reach base in just four innings of work. Clenney has allowed at least one run in all four of his September appearances. Jay has not walked anyone in six innings pitched so far this year.
Jeremiah Jackson
Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (74-61) 3, Reading Fightin Phils (59-77) 2 Box Score
- Jeremiah Jackson 2B: 3-for-4, 2B, RBI, K, .264/.344/.457
- JT Schwartz 1B: 2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI, K, .302/.383/.437
- Jett Williams SS: 0-for-4, 2 K, .227/.308/.273
The Rumble Ponies were held without a run for the first four innings of this game until they tied the game up with back-to-back RBI hits by Schwartz and Jackson. Schwartz has been particularly hot recently, hitting .349/.451/.442 so far in September. Jackson is also having a particularly strong month and has a .298/.358/.511 slash line over that time period.
- RHP Blade Tidwell (3-3, 4.72 ERA) 0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, K
- RHP Brendan Hardy (1-0, 2.16 ERA) 2.2 IP, 4 K
- RHP Jordan Geber (W, 2-0, 0.00 ERA) 6.0 IP, 5 H, 4 K
Tidwell struggled in his final regular season start, throwing 30 pitches before he could get a second out in the first inning and being removed from the game due to the high single-inning pitch count. His 153 strikeouts to finish the season place him 14th in the entire minor leagues in that category. Fortunately, the bullpen was nearly perfect in almost nine innings of relief. Hardy pitched 2 2/3 perfect innings and finished the season with an excellent 1.80 ERA and 13.9 K/9 over three minor league levels. Geber tossed 18 scoreless innings and did not walk anyone after his promotion to Binghamton.
With the Rumble Ponies’ regular season ending, they will begin their Eastern League Division Series against Somerset at home on Tuesday.
