MMO Farm Report: Mazzoni and Gorski Win Two For Bingo, Rivera Still Raking At Lucie

Louisville 3, Buffalo 1

By Connor O’Brien

Last night the Bisons and Bats squared off in the final game of a four-game series in Buffalo. It was a battle of the bullpens, as the Bats prevailed in a 3-1 game.

On the mound for the Bisons was Garrett Olson. Olson was moved back to the rotation because of the recent shortaage of starters on Wally Backman’s roster recently. He had struggled in his last outing against Charlotte, allowing six runs and failing to get out of the third inning, but was solid last night. Olson gave up his only run in the bottom of the second on an RBI-groundout. Other than that, Olson didn’t get into much trouble and held Louisville scoreless for most of the night. He was pulled after allowing one run on two hits in four innings.

The Bison offense, which had been held scoreless through four innings, finally broke through in the fifth with their first run of the game. It came when Matt Tuiasosopo laid down a sacrifice bunt with no outs back to the pitcher. However, the pitcher threw the ball away, allowing Lucas Duda to come around and score, tying the game up at one apiece.

The Bats got revenge in the sixth inning against Dylan Owen. Owen tossed a scoreless fifth, but got into trouble in the next inning. With a runner on, Owen served up a pitch right down the heart of the plate to Neftali Soto, who drilled the ball over the right field fence for a home run. That gave the Bats a 3-1 advantage, which would end up being the final score. The Bisons wouldn’t even come close to scoring a run the rest of the game. They have now lost seven of their last eight games.

Herd Rumblings: Recently-promoted Robert Carson made his Triple-A debut last night, tossing two scoreless innings and striking out two. Carson had a 4.79 ERA in 35.2 innings in Binghamton and was considered could find himself in the big league bullpen before the season is over. At the plate, it was another rough night for Buffalo. They could only scratch out five hits in the game, including just one over the last three innings. The Bisons begin a four-game series with the Indians tonight at 7:05, with Jeurys Familia (7-6, 4.57 ERA) making his 22nd start of the season.

Binghamton 2, Portland 1

Binghamton 3, Portland 1

By Tim Burns

The Binghamton Mets took two from the Portland SeaDogs on Friday night, winning game one by a score of 2-1, and taking the nightcap by a 3-1 tally.

Game one featured the return of Cory Mazzoni to the mound for the B-Mets after a brief stint on the DL. In six innings of work, Mazzoni gave up one run on four hits, striking out five and walking two. With the win, Mazonni improved his record to four and three on the season.

Frank Francisco relieved Mazzoni in the seventh inning to make his second rehab start for the Binghamton Mets. After allowing a leadoff double, Francisco settled down and shut down the SeaDogs, allowing no further hits and giving up no runs enroute to earning the save in the game.

Dustin Martin went 2-for-3 in the game with an RBI to his credit. Juan Lagares was 1-for-3 with a triple and run scored. Jefry Marte was 1-for-3 as well with the second B-Mets run of the game and a double as well.

In game two, Darin Gorski took the mound for the B-Mets. Gorski threw six of the seven innings played in game two, allowing one run on three hits while striking out six Portland batters. Gorski was given the win in the game, bringing his record above .500 to six and five on the season.

Ryan Fraser came on in relief of Gorski in the seventh, and allowed one hit, no runs, walked one and struck out one in his one inning of work. In the process, Fraser earned his first save of the season for the B-Mets.

At the plate, Dustin Martin’s excellent night continued as he went three for three in the game and with one swing of the bat accounted for all of the runs the B-Mets would score in game two. Martin’s second home run of the season with two runners on base would give the B-Mets the three to one lead, and the eventual win.

Juan Lageres was 2-for-2 in the second game, with his 23rd double of the season. Wilmer Flores went 1-for-2 in the game with a run scored as well as a walk and strikeout.

B-Mets Buzz: Game three of the series will be on Saturday night at NYSEG Stadium. The B-Mets will send Greg Peavey (4-6, 5.64) to the mound against the SeaDogs Jeremy Kehrt (4-3, 4.73). In roster moves on Friday the B-Mets added Adam Kolarek from the St. Lucie Mets, Gonzalez Germen was transferred to Buffalo and then back to Binghamton, Robert Carson was transferred to the Bisons, and Erik Turgeon was released.

St. Lucie 6, Bradenton 5

T.J. Rivera had three hits and three RBIs and Aderlin Rodriguez hit his second home run of the season as the Mets defeated the Lakleand Flying Tigers 6-5 at Digital Domain Park on Friday.

The Mets had a three-run second inning to take a 3-2 lead.

Kai Gronauer hit an RBI double to score Travis Taijeron. T.J. Rivera added an RBI double to center to score Gronauer to tie the score. Cory Vaughn followed with an RBI single to right to plate Rivera.

Rodriguez ripped a solo home run in the fifth to give the Mets a 4-3 advantage.

With the score tied 4-4 in the sixth, T.J. Rivera hit a go-ahead two-run single to right-center to score Gronauer and Robbie Shields to give the Mets a 6-4 lead.

Jack Leathersich earned his first save of the season as he retired James Robbins on a groundout to first with the tying run at second base in the ninth. Leathersich gave up on one run on two hits in two innings and walked two.

Angel Cuan tossed 5 1/3 innings and allowed three earned runs on seven hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

Taylor Whitenton picked up the victory in relief as he tossed 2/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts.

Lucie Logistics: The Mets host the Lakleand Flying Tigers at 6:30 p.m. at Digital Domain Park on Saturday. Tyler Pill is the scheduled starter for the Mets. (From team report)

Rome 13, Savannah 3

By Fonzie13

After an hour and thirteen minute rain delay on Friday night the Rome Braves (ATL) scored early and often and blasted the Savannah Sand Gnats (57-45) 13-3 to take the opener of a three game series.

What a difference a week makes. Last Saturday night Gnats Left-hander Jimmy Fuller pitched six brilliant innings of one hit baseball against the Rome Braves but Friday night was the opposite end of the spectrum for the young lefty as Fuller 3-3, 7.13 was pummeled by the Braves to the tune of eleven runs, nine of them earned on ten hits, two walks and one strikeout over three long innings.

The Sand Gnats scored first in the second inning on a Gregory Pron RBI sacrifice fly scoring Brian Harrison to give Savannah a 1-0 lead.  Rome answered right back with seven runs in their half of the inning highlighted by an Elmer Reyes two run three base hit and a three run jack by William Beckwith giving Rome an insurmountable 7-1 lead.

The Braves continued to pour it on, scoring four runs in the third and two in the fourth. Savannah would scatter nine hits and added only two more runs in the fourth to make the final score 13-3.  Gnats First-baseman Brian Harrison two for four, two runs scored, a double and an RBI and Yucarybert De La Cruz two for four were the lone hitting stars for Savannah.

Three Savannah relievers followed Fuller’s short night at the office. Carlos Vazquez who has been brilliant coming out of the pen for Savannah all seaon was roughed up a little as well. Carlos pitched an inning in relief allowed two runs on four hits and raised his tidy ERA to 2.75.  Jared west on the other hand has struggled for the most part this season had maybe his best outing of the year going three innings only giving up one hit, a walk and one strikeout. Estarlin Morel pitched a scoreless inning yielding a hit and punching out two.

Gnats Gnotes: Saturday night Savannah looks to even up the series with Rome sending Domingo Tapia 5-2, 3.45 to the rubber. Who’s Hot? Dustin Lawley has stepped up in the absence of Aderlin Rodriguez (promoted) to give Savannah the power that departed with Lil A-Rod.  Dustin over his last ten games has destroyed S.A.L. pitching to the tune of a 429/535/943 1478 OPS going 10 for his last 35, 10 runs, 4 2B’s, 1 3B, 4 HR’s and 13 RBI’s over that stretch.  Alex Panteliodis struggling over a six week period has put back to back excellent starts together to get himslef back on track. The first year pro over his last two starts has pitched 13 innings, giving up 2 earned runs on 9 hits, 2 walks and 19 strikeouts. Overall the young lefty is 3-5, 3.45 ERA.

Batavia 2, Brooklyn 0

By Dave Landon

Brooklyn bats silenced as they only muster up three lonely hits in 2-0 loss to Batavia.

Luis Cessa only allowed one run on Friday night. It was in the first inning on an RBI double. That would really be the only run needed for the Cyclones to be beaten with. Cessa pitched five innings, giving up just that one run on six hits and striking out three batters. Cessa gets the loss, his second of the season.

Matthew Bowman came and pitched two scoreless innings with two hits allowed, and two strikeouts. Tyler Vanderheiden pitched the eighth inning, allowing one run on two hits with his one strikeout. On the plus side, despite the ten total hits allowed by the Cyclones staff, only two runs were allowed.

The only three hits for the Cyclones were a double from Alex Sanchez, and singles from Juan Gamboa and Dimas Ponce.

Brooklyn Brew: The Cyclones will start a three game series with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers on Saturday at 7:05 PM.

Bristol 3, Kingsport 1

A couple of firsts by the Bristol Sox denied the Kingsport Mets a first of their own on Friday night at Hunter Wright Stadium. Eric Grabe and Juan Ramirez each tallied their first home run of the Appalachian League season, lifting Bristol to a 3-1 victory over the K-Mets.

Kingsport (11-23) was going for its third straight victory, which would have been the team’s longest winning streak of the rookie-league season. The K-Mets have never won more than two games in a row at any one point.

Both starting pitchers, the K-Mets’ John Gant and Bristol’s Euclides Leyer, entered the game with some unimpressive statistics. But each was rather effective on Friday and by the time both starters exited the score remained deadlocked at 1-all. Gant, who came in with a 7.94 ERA, allowed one run while scattering six hits and three walks over five innings. Lopez, who had an 0-4 record and 5.56 ERA, went six innings and surrendered one run on four hits and a base on balls.

Grabe broke the tie with one swing of the bat in the eighth inning, taking the 1-0 offering from Kingsport reliever Andrew Massie over the wall in left field. That gave Bristol a 2-1 lead. Ramirez added some insurance one inning later. With one out, Ramirez tallied a solo shot of his own, a towering blast to left that was ruled just inside the foul pole.

It was the first home run as a professional for Grabe and the first of the season for Ramirez, who’s spent the past couple years playing in the DSL. Ramirez was hitting under the Mendoza line coming into the game, while Grabe had a robust .347 average and .958 OPS and was hitting in the cleanup spot.

Kingsport got all of its offense early. The K-Mets scored their lone run in the first inning, after Gavin Cecchini’s triple off the right-field wall plated Branden Kaupe. The Kingsport bats went completely quiet after the first three innings, however. Bristol held the K-Mets hitless for the last six frames.

After Ramirez’s home run staked Bristol to a two-run lead, the Sox turned to reliever James Hudelson, who closed the game with back-to-back swinging strikeouts to register his second save.

Kingsport Knews: Massie (0-1) took the loss. He allowed three total hits, two of which left the ballpark. Adam Lopez, who worked a perfect seventh inning for Bristol, recorded the pitching victory. Bristol turned a unique double play in the second inning. Eris Peguero slapped a sharp groundball toward the right side. It glanced off the glove of diving first baseman Steven Nikorak, but second baseman Jake Brown picked it up and threw the ball back to Nikorak for the out. Nikorak then fired the ball across the infield to third base to tag out Jorge Rivero, who was trying to advance from first to third on the play. The Mets promoted outfielder Julio Concepcion to Brooklyn before the game and activated Bradley Marquez from the disabled list. Kingsport concludes its four-game home series with Bristol tonight. First pitch is at 6 PM. (From team report)