Minor League Update — 6/16/09

Buffalo Bisons (AAA):
22-41 (17.0 games back)

BUF 5 @ SYR 4

Marco Estrada pitched seven quality innings, three earned runs on seven hits and four strike outs, for the Syracuse Chiefs (Washington Nationals) but Zechry Zinicola gave up two runs in the eighth and the Bisons went on to win the game 5-4. Justin Maxwell hit a two run homer, his eighth of the season, in the ninth inning off of Buffalo closer Elmer Dessens; the solo shot made the contest a one-run game.

• Chip Ambres, batting third, had two hits in five at bats
• Mike Lamb exploded for a 4 for 4 night with a triple, two runs and two hits
• Lance Broadway allowed only one run (earned) on three hits and two walks in six innings, he struck out two and dropped his ERA to 5.97
• Tim McNab allowed one run (unearned) on just one hit in 1.2 innings; he struck out two and now has a 1.44 ERA in 25 innings with Buffalo this season

Binghamton Mets (AA):
26-37 (9.5 games back)

BIN 2 @ HAR 3

Eric Brown made a spot start for Bingamton today and pitched seven impressive innings; however, he gave up a home run to shortstop Ian Desmond, his third of the season, with two outs in the seventh to give the Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals) a 3-2 lead, which was the final score.

• Nick Evans hit two doubles in four at bats and is now batting .260 with Binghamton; it’s official, he is once again Nick “The Stick” Evans
• Lucas Duda played left field and reached base three times, twice by hit and once by walk, in three plate appearances
• Eric Brown allowed three runs (all earned) on nine hits and a walk, he struck out six and has a 4.81 ERA

St. Lucie Mets (A+):
30-31 (8.5 game back)

STL 0 @ DAY 6

The Daytona Cubs (Chicago Cubs) scored a run in the bottom of the first and never looked back, defeating the St. Lucie Mets 6-0. The Mets struggled offensively, only five hits, and in the field, three errors.

• Zach Lutz hit a double in the ninth inning, St. Lucie’s only extra base hit of the game
• Greg Veloz singled and then stole second base in the third inning, it was his 15th steal of the season
• Jeffrey Kaplan allowed four runs (all earned) on seven hits in 5.2 innings; he took the loss (0-2) and now has a 5.06 ERA

Savannah Sand Gnats (A):
31-34 (7.0 games back)

SAV 6 @ ROM 3

The Sand Gnats took on the Rome Braves and their 19-year-old stud Brett DeVall (2.11 ERA entering the day) tonight, and punished the young gun for five runs, two home runs and a loss in six innings.

• Jefry Marte hit two singles in four at bats; he batted second tonight and has displayed a significant level of comfortability in that spot this season
• Wilmer Flores went 1 for 3 with a two-run homer in the fifth inning, his second of the season
• Joshua Satin collected three hits, including a double, in four at bats and drove in a pair of runs
• Jeurys Familia, 19 years old, won his fourth game of the season but allowed three runs (all earned) on seven hits and two walks, he struck out six and sports a 3.25 ERA

Minor League Update — 6/15/09

Buffalo Bisons (AAA):
21-41 (17.0 games back)

BUF 2 @ SYR 4

BUF 3 @ SYR 2

The Bisons traveled East to Syracuse to take on the Chiefs (Washington Nationals) for two seven-inning games. Syracuse won game one, led by Mike Vento’s two-hit, three-RBI game. Game two went to the Bisons, handing former Met Jorge Sosa the loss in relief.

• Javier Castillo collected two hits and scored two runs in game one, but went 0 for 3 in the nightcap
• Wily Mo Pena had a pair of hits in each game, he has had a hit in 18 of the last 20 games that he has played
• Jesus Feliciano had two hits, scored a run and drove in a run, he is now batting .301
• Pat Misch, recently acquired from the San Francisco Giants, lost in his first start with Buffalo, pitching a complete game (six innings) and allowing four runs (all earned) on six hits and a walk, he struck out five
• Kyle Snyder allowed two runs (both earned) as game two’s starter, he pitched four innings, allowed five hits and walked one
• Javier Valentin was placed on the seven-day disabled list

Binghamton Mets (AA):
26-36 (8.5 games back)

Binghamton had the day off and will start a series tomorrow in Harrisburg against the Senators (Washinton Nationals).

• Josh Thole is batting .348/.418/.459/.877 in 2009 and leads the club with 18 doubles
• Ruben Tejada, 19 years old, is batting .277/.363/.374/.737 and has stolen seven bases
• Tobi Stoner was promoted to AAA Buffalo, he had a 2.68 ERA in 47.0 innings with Binghamton this year

St. Lucie Mets (A+):
30-30 (7.5 game back)

STL 4 @ DAY 5

St. Lucie pieced together four runs in the third inning, but poor pitching and three team errors allowed the Daytona Cubs (Chicago Cubs) to squeek by with a 5-4 victory. Jake Opitz hit a pair of doubles and drove in two for the victorious Cubs.

• Ike Davis went 2 for 4 with a double, a walk, a run scored, and an RBI
• Kirk Nieuwenhuis had a double in five at bats, but struck out three times
• Angel Calero allowed four runs (only one earned) on eight hits in six innings, he struck out six and now has a 4.43 ERA

Savannah Sand Gnats (A):
30-34 (8.0 games back)

SAV 0 @ ROM 4

The Sand Gnats and Rome Braves (Atlanta Braves) held a scoreless standoff until the bottom of the sixth inning, which was when the Braves scored three times on a wild pitch and a two-run single. Dimaster Delgado pitched six scoreless innings (four hits and no walks) while striking out six, he was relieved by David Francis who was perfect for three innings, striking out three.

• Jefry Marte was 1 for 4, but threw a ball away in the field –his 26th error of the season
• Sean Ratliff was hitless in three at bats and struck out twice
• Wilmer Flores collected a hit in three at bats; the 17-year-old is batting .256/.304/.314/.618 for Savannah, which is impressive considering his age and level of competition –Miguel Cabrera hit .268/.328/.382/.710 as an 18-year-old in A-ball
• Elvin Ramirez took the loss (3-5, 3.42 ERA) after allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits and three walks in 6.2 innings while striking out five

Minor League Update — 6/14/09

Buffalo Bisons (AAA):
20-40 (16.5 games back)

DUR 1 @ BUF 8

Buffalo scratched out six hits in a five-run second inning, which led to a defeat of the Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays) 8-1. Jon Weber had Durham’s only extra-base hit of the game, a double to lead off the fourth.

• Robinson Cancel had three hits, including a double, and scored two runs
• Javier Castillo, recently acquired from the Chicago White Sox, hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth
• Jesus Feliciano had two hits, scored a run and drove in a run, he is now batting .301

Binghamton Mets (AA):
26-36 (8.5 games back)

BIN 7 @ TRE 1

Carl Loadenthal and Josh Petersen hit back-to-back triples in the top of the fifth inning (Loadenthal’s was hit with the bases loaded) to break open a close game. Binghamton went on to defeat the Trenton Thunder (New York Yankees) 7-1. Michael Dunn pitched three scoreless innings of relief for Trenton, he struck out three.

• Nick Evans had two hits, including a double, and drove in a run –his batting average is now up to .250
• Shawn Bowman also had two hits and is now batting .283, an impressive rebound season for the often injured third baseman
• Josh Thole was 0 for 3, but he managed to draw two walks
• Edgar Ramirez started the game and threw three shutout innings, he struck out three while allowing three hits
• Edgar Alfonzo relieved Ramirez and pitched three scoreless innings of his own; Alfonzo recieved the win, his fourth of the season

St. Lucie Mets (A+):
30-29 (7.5 game back)

TAM 3 @ STL 4

An errant throw by Tampa Yankees (New York Yankees) third baseman Brandon Laird led to two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, the tying and go-ahead runs, for St. Lucie. The single-A affiliate won the game 4-3, stealing five bases along the way.

• Greg Veloz had two hits and drove in a run, he stole home plate on a double steal in the first inning
• Kirk Nieuwenheis was 0 for 1 with a pair of walks and reached on an error, he stole second base three times in the game
• Matt Bouchard had three hits, including a double, and scored a run
• Scott Shaw allowed two runs (both earned) over 6.1 innings, he struck out six and allowed five hits

Savannah Sand Gnats (A):
30-33 (8.0 games back)

AUG 0 @ SAV 2

The Augusta GreenJackets (San Francisco Giants) could only manage to push two runners to third base, falling to Savannah 2-0 , despite receiving an impressive performance from starting pitcher Ari Ronick –who took the loss after allowing just two runs (both earned) on four hits and six strikeouts in eight innings.

• Sean Ratliff had a hit (solo home run) in three at bats
• Jefry Marte was hitless in three at bats, he also struck out twice
• Kyle Allen pitched 6.2 scoreless innings, he gave up three hits and walked three but struck out five en route to his fourth victory of the season

Minor League Update — 6/13/09

Buffalo Bisons (AAA):
19-40 (16.5 games back)

DUR 7 @ BUF 2

The Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays) and Buffalo Bisons were tied 2-2 entering the ninth inning, but the Bulls scored five times, capped off by a Ray Olmedo triple with two on, and won the game 7-2. Henry Mateo had three hits, including a triple of his own, for the Bulls.

• Chip Ambres, recently added to the roster after being acquired from Pawtucket (Boston Red Sox), had two hits, including a double, and drove in one of the team’s two runs
• Wily Mo Pena was 1 for 4 with a run scored, he has now had at least one hit in 15 of his last 16 games played
• Nelson Figueroa pitched the first 6.2 innings for Buffalo and struck out nine, he gave up two runs (both earned) on eight hits and three walks

Binghamton Mets (AA):
25-36 (9.5 games back)

BIN 4 @ TRE 0

BIN 1 @ TRE 5

Tobi Stoner tossed a complete game shutout against the Trenton Thunder (New York Yankees) in game one of today’s double header (two seven-inning games), but Jeff Niesen, making his AA debut, was roughed up in game two, losing 5-1. Marcos Vechionacci took Niesen deep in the second inning of game two for a three-run homer, it was his fourth of the season.

• Salvador Paniagua homered in the top of the fifth inning of game one and then hit a three-run double in the very next inning, accounting for all four of Binghamton’s runs
• Josh Thole had a hit in four at bats in game one, but did not play in game two
• Ruben Tejada had just one hit in six at bats today, dropping his average down to .277
• Tobi Stoner struck out five, walked none and gave up only three hits during his shutout in game one, his ERA now stands at 2.68
• Jeff Niesen lasted just five innings in his Binghamton debut, giving up five runs (all earned) on three hits, four walks and two home runs; he struck out three
• Brian Bruney started game one of the double header for the Thunder; his opinion did not matter

St. Lucie Mets (A+):
29-29 (8.0 game back)

TAM 8 @ STL 3

The Tampa Yankees (New York Yankees) exploded for eight runs in today’s affair, benefiting from the duo of Damon Sublett and Brandon Laird who combined for five hits, three doubles and four RBI.

• Iike Davis went deep for the second consecutive night in the ninth inning, he now has seven home runs on the season
• Carlos Guzman had two hits and scored a run in five at bats
• Matt Bouchard went 1 for 4 with a two-run single in the eighth inning
• Nicholas Carr gave up five runs on six hits and three walks in 4.1 innings, he struck out three and now has a 3.59 ERA

Savannah Sand Gnats (A):
29-33 (8.0 games back)

AUG 6 @ SAV 2

Trey Webb tossed three shutout innings out of the bullpen for the Augusta GreenJackets (San Francisco Giants) which helped to secure a 6-2 victory over the strlugging Sand Gnats.

• Rafael Fernandez had two hits in four at bats and scored a run
• Joshua Satin had a rough night, going 0 for 4 with three strikeouts
• Jean Luc Blaquiere hit a solo home run in second inning, it was his third of the season
• Robert Carson gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits and three walks over five innings, he struck out five and now has a 2.74 ERA

Minor League Update — 6/12/09

Buffalo Bisons (AAA):
19-39 (15.5 games back)

DUR 0 @ BUF 1

Rashad Eldridge hit a double with two outs in the sixth inning to give the Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays) their first team hit of the night. The Bulls would add two more hits but couldn’t manage to score a run, losing the pitcher’s duel 1-0.

• Rene Rivera and Mike Lamb hit back-to-back doubles in the second inning to score the game’s only run
• Javier Valentin, start in his first game since Tuesday, was 1 for 4
• Jon Niese was impressive, giving up only two hits and walking three while striking out seven over 7.1 innings; it was Niese’s first victory of the season (1-6, 6.31 ERA)

Binghamton Mets (AA):
24-35 (10.0 games back)

BIN 0 @ TRE 1

The B-Mets lost to the Trenton Thunder (New York Yankees) 1-0 in an impressive pitcher’s duel. Ivan Nova, Trenton’s starter, allowed only three hits over eight innings and struck out eight. The only run of the game came on a solo home run by left fielder Noah Hall.

• Nick Evans left the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, he was hit by a pitch earlier in the game and went 0 for 1 with a strikeout
• Josh Thole, now batting .355, was 1 for 4
• Lucas Duda began the game in left field, but moved to first base after Evans left the game; he was 1 for 4
• Michael Antonini gave up seven hits, including the home run, over seven innings –he struck out five

St. Lucie Mets (A+):
29-28 (7.5 game back)

TAM 5 @ STL 3

The Mets were swpet in the organizational Subway Series, losing all three matchups with Yankee affiliates. St. Lucie lost its part of the series 5-3, led by a three-run top of the first by the Tampa Yankees (New York Yankees). Jeremy Bleich was impressive for Tampa; he allowed only four hits and struck out four over seven scoreless innings.

• Iike Davis hit his sixth home run of the season, a two-run shot, and also had a single in four at bats
• Kirk Nieuwenheis had a 1 for 4 night, he scored a run and drove in a run
• Dylan Owen allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits, a walk and four strikeouts; he now has a 2.45 ERA for St. Lucie

Savannah Sand Gnats (A):
29-32 (7.0 games back)

AUG 2 @ SAV 3

Savannah rallied for a pair of runs in the bottom the ninth, winning tonight’s game with the Augusta GreenJackets (San Francisco Giants) by the final score of 3-2. Juan Perez, Augusta’s second baseman had a 3 for 4 night with a double and an RBI in the loss.

• Sean Ratliff had two hits and a walk in four plate appearances
• Wilmer Flores hit a single in four at bats, he is now batting .259
• Chris Schwinden gave up two runs (both earned) over 6.1 innings of six-hit ball, he struck out four

Minor League Update — 6/11/09

Buffalo Bisons (AAA):
18-39 (16.0 games back)

DUR 5 @ BUF 13

The Bisons beat up on the Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Ras), scoring 13 runs on 15 hits, seven walks and five errors. Ray Olmedo, Durham’s shortstop, committed four of those errors, including three on two consecutive balls in playin the bottom of the eighth inning. Chris Nowak led the Bulls offense, driving in four runs on a triple, a double and a single.

• Today was the offense’s first game under new hitting coach Bill Masse, who the organization promoted from AA Binghamton; this has already become the organization’s best transaction of the season
• Cory Sullivan scored two runs and drove in a two more on four hits (three singles and a double)
• Jesus Feliciano also drove in two runs and had three hits of his own
• Wily Mo Pena hit a pair of doubles and drove in three runs, however, he made a fielding error as the team’s first baseman
• Luis Rivera had three hits of his own and drove in a pair
• Lance Broadway, acquired from the White Sox in the Ramon Castro trade, gave up three hits, six walks and four runs (three earned)
• Adam Bostick, recently promoted from Binghamton, pitched a perfect ninth inning; Bostick distinguishes himself by dragging his foot across the foul line as he leaves the mound and heads to the dugout –the exact opposite of players who have actually succeeded in professional baseball

Binghamton Mets (AA):
24-34 (9.0 games back)

HAR 16 @ BIN 2

Tonight’s game between the B-Mets and the Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals) was completed in the eighth inning due to the weather (rain), but the game might as well have ended out of mercy. Jemel Spearman and Marvin Lowrance each hit home runs for the new “Murderer’s Row.”

• Today was the offense’s first game under new hitting coach Luis Natera, who the organization demoted from AAA Buffalo; Natera was Binghamton’s hitting coach last season and, in his 17th season in the organization, is apparently to blame for Buffalo’s terrible offense
• Emmanuel Garcia had a double, a single and scored a run as Binghamton’s lead off hitter
• Nick Evans batted third and had an RBI double in four at bats
• Ruben Tejada had a pair of singles in three at bats and now has a 10-game hitting streak (batting .353 in that stretch)
• Josh Thole did not start or play in today’s game, which, according to the latest SABRmetric, accounted for 92.7% of the blowout
• Jenrry Mejia gave up four runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks in four innings, he struck out four and has a 1.64 ERA since his promotion
• Nick Abel was impressive, allowing only 10 runs (all earned) on 11 hits and two walks, he struck out four over 2.1 innings and now has a 10.44 ERA

St. Lucie Mets (A+):
29-27 (7.5 game back)

TAM 4 @ STL 9

The Tampa Yankees (New York Yankees) attempted to come back from an early 7-1 defecit, but the St. Lucie pitching staff held on for the 9-4 win. Adam Olbrychowski, who will hopefully never play for a team that displays player names on the back of jerseys, threw three scoreless innings of relief for the Yankees to keep the game in reach during the comeback attempt.

• Zach Lutz scored a pair of runs while collecting two hits in four at bats
• Carlos Guzman only had one hit, but it was a two-run single in the bottom of the first inning
• Matt Bouchard had three hits, including a double, as St. Lucie’s shortstop
• Brant Rustich allowed a run (earned) on two hits and two walks in only three innings, he struck out three but left the game after allowing a leadoff triple in the fourth

Savannah Sand Gnats (A):
28-32 (7.5 games back)

ROM 2 @ SAV 3

The Rome Braves (Atlanta Braves) tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the eighth inning on a two-out RBI single by Braeden Schlehuber, who had a fantastic night at the plate against Savannah on Tuesday, but the Sand Gnats reclaimed the lead in the bottom half of the inning and held on for a 3-2 win.

• Sean Ratliff, who has really cooled off from his red hot start, went 2 for 4 with a triple and a run scored
• Wilmer Flores also had two hits, including an RBI single
• Jeurys Familia, who should have played with the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates, allowed a run (unearned) on three hits in six innings, he struck out six and now has a 3.11 ERA

Minor League Update — 6/10/09

Buffalo Bisons (AAA):
17-39 (16.5 games back)

All three AAA leagues (International League, Mexican League, Pacific Coast League) were off tonight. The Bisons will resume play on Thursday, hosting the Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay Rays).

• Jesus Feliciano leads Buffalo in batting average, .292, for qualified batters; for comparison, Fernando Martinez was batting .291 when he was promoted
• Wily Mo Pena and Michel Abreu are tied for the current club lead with four home runs, Fernando Martinez had eight home runs when he was promoted
• Jesus Feliciano leads the club with eight stolen bases, he was caught stealing twice –Argenis Reyes is 7 for 7 in attempts
• Brandon Knight leads the club in innings pitched, 60.2 innings, and in strikeouts, 58
• Elmer Dessens (1.21 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP) has been terrific as the team’s closer (eight saves in 29.2 innings)

Binghamton Mets (AA):
24-33 (8.5 games back)

HAR 7 @ BIN 10

Binghamton broke open a 6-4 game with a four-run eighth inning, however, the Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals) rallied in the top of the ninth, but came up short –scoring three runs and stranding two base runners to lose the game 10-7. Edgardo Baez had three hits, including a solo home run, for the Senators in the loss.

• Jose Coronado had three hits in four at bats, scored two runs and drove in three
• Nick Evans had two hits, including a home run with a man on, and scored two runs
• Josh Thole had three hits in five at bats and is batting .357
• Shawn Bowman had three hits of his own, scored two runs, drove in two runs, and drew a walk
• Eric Brown allowed four runs (all earned) on seven hits and two walks in 6.1 innings, he struck out six and earned the victory –his fourth of the season (4-4, 4.94 ERA)

St. Lucie Mets (A+):
28-27 (8.0 game back)

DUN 8 @ STL 5

The Dunedin Blue Jays (Toronto Blue Jays) and St. Lucie Mets combined for 27 hits (13 and 14 respectively) in an offensive game that featured nine extra-base hits. Moises Sierra was the star of the game, collecting four hits –two being doubles, and driving in four runs.

• Seth Williams was the only member of the St. Lucie Mets without a hit, the left fielder went 0 for 3 with a hit-by-pitch
• Ike Davis had two hits in five at bats, including a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth with two outs
• Francisco Pena led the club with three hits and drove in a pair of runs
• Angel Calero gave up five runs (all earned) on seven hits and four walks, the loss drops him to 1-6 on the season with a 4.75 ERA

Savannah Sand Gnats (A):
27-32 (8.0 games back)

ROM 3 @ SAV 4

The Rome Braves (Atlanta Braves) intentionally walked Jefry Marte to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh in a 3-3 game, but reliever Clayton McMillan immediately walked Joshua Satin to bring in the go-ahead, and eventual winning, run before retiring the next three batters.

• Joshua Satin had two hits, including a double, and the bases loaded walk to drive in a run
• Wilmer Flores also had two hits, a single and a double, and drew a walk
• Elvin Ramirez gave up three runs (only one earned) on five hits and a walk, he struck out two and has a 3.36 ERA

Minor League Update — 6/9/09

Buffalo Bisons (AAA):
17-39 (16.5 games back)

IND 10 @ BUF 2

The Indianapollis Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates) slugged five home runs (two a piece for Garrett Jones and Steve Pearce who went back-to-back in the fourth inning) in today’s 10-2 clobbering of the Bisons. Jones was the star of today’s game with three hits, four runs and three runs batted in.

• Jesus Feliciano had Buffalo’s first hit of the game, a one-out single in the seventh inning
• Rene Rivera, a catcher, made a pair of fielding errors while playing out of position at third base
• Michel Abreu, who had a pinch hit home run on Monday, had a hit in two at bats and drew a pair of walks
• Brandon Knight allowed six runs (all earned) on nine hits and two walks in 4.1 innings, he struck out three and gave up four home runs
• Kyle Snyder relieved Knight and was roughed up for three runs (all earned) on four hits in 1.2 innings

Binghamton Mets (AA):
23-33 (8.5 games back)

HAR 3 @ BIN 0

The B-Mets collected 10 hits today, but failed to score a run and lost to the Harrisburg Senators 3-0. Joel Guzman, who the Dodgers once traded in a package for Julio Lugo, drove in a run and led the Senators with two hits, one being a double.

• Nick Evans had two hits today (four at bats) and now has a .234 batting average in his attempt to reconcile his 2009 campaign
• Josh Thole also had two hits and is batting .351 for 2009; offensively he appears to be major league ready, but his defensive abilities still need the final polishings
• Ruben Tejada had a hit and now has a .757 OPS with AA Binghamton, he is rebounding fantastically after a disappointing 2008 season with St. Lucie
• Ryan Coultas allowed three runs (all earned) on seven hits and a walk in 5.2 innings, he took the loss and is now 4-3 on the season with a 2.78 ERA

St. Lucie Mets (A+):
28-26 (8.0 game back)

DUN 2 @ STL 3

Celson Polanco blew the save and took his first loss of the season as he allowed two runs to the St. Lucie Mets in the bottom of the eighth inning; the Mets beat the Dunedin Blue Jays (Toronto Blue Jays) 3-2. Charles Huggins, recently promoted and starting his third game for Dunedin, gave up only one run (earned) on two hits and two walks in seven, he struck out five.

• Kirk Nieuwenheis had RBI singles in the sixth and eighth innings, he now has 22 RBI for the season
• Brahaim Maldonado led off the sixth inning with a walk, then stole a base and came around to score St. Lucie’s first run
• Scott Shaw gave up just two runs (both earned) on three hits and two walks, he struck out eight and now has a 3.43 ERA

Savannah Sand Gnats (A):
26-32 (8.0 games back)

ROM 4 @ SAV 3

Savannah lost a close game to the Rome Braves (Atlanta Braves) 4-3; Rome broke a 3-3 tie in the eighth with a successful suicide squeeze by Shayne Moody. Braeden Schlehuber, Rome’s catcher, had a career night with three hits, including two doubles,  and scored two runs.

• Stefan Welch played first base and had two hits, one being his first home run of the season, and scored two runs
• Jefry Marte, back to hitting eighth in the lineup, had two hits and drew a walk
• Kyle Allen allowed three runs (all earned) on six hits and a walk in five innings, he struck out five and has a 4.70 ERA

Minor League Update — 6/8/09

Buffalo Bisons (AAA):
17-38 (15.5 games back)

IND 1 @ BUF 2

Garrett Jones hit a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning, but Michel Abreu one-upped him with a two-run shot in the bottom half of the inning; Abreu’s homer gave the Bisons a 2-1 lead, which ended up being today’s final score. The game, which lasted just two hours and 13 minutes, featured 10 hits, five per team, and 15 strikeouts –the Indianappolis Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates) struck out nine times against Buffalo’s pitching staff.

• Wily Mo Pena’s hitting streak was snapped today, concluding at 13 games
• Michel Abreu pinch hit for Pena in the sixth and hit the previously mentioned home run, his fourth of the season
• Brandon Knight, who did not pitch in the game, pinch hit and struck out –he is now batting .333 for the season
• Nelson Figueroa struck out seven over seven innings and allowed just the one run on four hits and a walk; he now has a 2.93 ERA for Buffalo

Binghamton Mets (AA):
23-32 (8.0 games back)

The Binghamton Mets had the day off, along with the entire Eastern League. The B-Mets will continue play on Tuesday, hosting the Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals)

• Josh Thole is second in the league in batting average (.348) and on-base percentage (.419); his .890 OPS is second best for a catcher in the league
• The B-Mets have a team batting average of .268, which is tied for fourth highest in the league; however, the team is last in the league in home runs with just 25 over 55 games
• Shawn Bowman hit a solo home run in the second innings, his seventh of the season
• Michael Antonini and Ryan Coultas lead the team with four wins apiece
• Binghamton is last in the league with a 4.82 team ERA

St. Lucie Mets (A+):
27-26 (8.0 game back)

DUN 12 @ STL 1

DUN 4 @ STL 1

The St. Lucie Mets scored two runs today, but gave up 16 runs during a double header with the Dunedin Blue Jays (Toronto Blue Jays). Dunedin batted around in the top of the first of game one, scoring five runs, and benefited from a grand slam by Moises Sierra in the third inning. Game two was a much closer contest, Dunedin pushed across the winning run on a two-run home run by C.J. Ebarb in the sixth.

• Greg Veloz and Zach Lutz were the only two players on the Mets with extra-base hits –both being doubles
• Carlos Guzman, who was born in Brooklyn, had a pair of hits in three at bats during game one, he scored the team’s only run for that game
• Eric Niesen started game one allowed five runs (all earned) in 0.2 innings; his relief, Nicholas Waechter allowed seven runs (all earned) over 1.1 innings
• Jeffrey Kaplan, game two’s starter, allowed two runs (both earned) on five hits and  four walks over five innings, he struck out five and has a 3.38 ERA; Kaplan was named to the South Atlantic League’s Southern Division All Star team but, because of his promotion to St. Lcuie, will not participate in the festivities

Savannah Sand Gnats (A):
26-31 (8.0 games back)

SAV 2 @ AUG 7

The Sand Gnats were on the verge of being shut out by the Augusta GreenJackets (San Francisco Giants), but Jefry Marte led off the ninth inning with his fourth home run of the season and the Sand Gnats tacked on another run, but feel short and lost the game 7-2. Ben Woodbury led off for the GreenJackets and had three hits, one being a double, and scored three runs.

• Rafael Fernandez had two hits, both the single base variety, and scored one of the team’s two runs
• Jefry Marte hit just the home run today, but his batting average is now up to .217
• Robert Carson allowed two runs (one earned) over five innings, he struck out three and walked two
• Jeffrey Kaplan (now playing with St. Lucie), Jimmy Johnson, Joshua Satin, and Sean Ratliff were named to the Southern Division All Star team of the 2009 South Atlantic League All Star game

Minor League Update — 6/7/09

Buffalo Bisons (AAA):
16-38 (16.5 games back)

IND 2 @ BUF 0

Luis Cruz hit a two-run double off of Jon Niese in the third inning, giving the Indianapollis Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates) all of the offense they needed for victory. Niese settled down though, pitching scoreless frames over the next three innings.

• Wily Mo Pena added a hit tonight, extending his hitting streak to 13 games
• Mike Lamb and Jonathon Malo each went 0 for 4 and are both batting under .200 with the Bisons (.181 for Lamb and .198 for Malo)
• Jonathon Niese allowed two runs (both earned) on six hits and a walk, he struck out four and lowered his ERA to 7.36 for AAA Buffalo
• The bullpen (Tim McNab, Jon Switzer and Elmer Dessens) combined for three shutout, one-hit innings

Binghamton Mets (AA):
23-32 (8.0 games back)

CON 10 @ BIN 6

Tobi Stoner was impressive over eight innings, but Ruben Tejada made a costly error with two outs in the ninth inning of a 5-4 game, which allowed the Connecticut Defenders (San Francisco Giants) to score six runs in the ninth. Mike McBryde capped off the ninth inning rally with a grand slam.

• Nick Evans had two hits in five at bats, including a double, and now has a .219 batting average thanks to a recent hot streak
• Josh Thole had two hits and drove in a pair of runs on a bases loaded double
• Shawn Bowman hit a solo home run in the second innings, his seventh of the season
• Josh Petersen pinch hit for pitcher Roy Merritt in the ninth and hit a solo shot of his own
• Tobi Stoner allowed four runs (all earned) on six hits, he struck out six and now has a 3.15 ERA
• Roy Merritt pitched the ninth inning and allowed six runs (none earned) on three hits and a walk

St. Lucie Mets (A+):
27-24 (6.5 game back)

Today’s game between the Dunedin Blue Jays (Toronto Blue Jays) and St. Lucie Mets was postponed due to rain. The two teams will play a double header on Monday, starting a five p.m.

• Kirk Nieuwenheis leads the St. Lucie Mets with eight home runs and thirty-five runs scored
• Carlos Guzman leads the club with 94 total bases –he has hit 15 doubles, one triple and seven home runs
• Ike Davis leads the club with an .828 OPS; Davis currently has a .367 OBP
• Dylan Owen, demoted from AA Binghamton, pitched four innings of relief on Saturday and allowed one run (earned) on two hits, while striking out five

Savannah Sand Gnats (A):
26-30 (7.0 games back)

SAV 5 @ AUG 7

The Augusta GreenJackets (San Francisco Giants) dropped the Sand Gnats 7-5 this afternoon. Augusta scored five runs off of five hits and two errors in the second inning –there were no extra base hits in the frame.

• Rafael Fernandez had a single and a walk and scored two runs in five plate appearances
• Wilmer Flores had an RBI single in four at bats, but made a costly throwing error in the second inning
• Jefry Marte went 0 for 4 with a sacrifice fly, but made a pair of fielding errors and now has 24 for the season
• Chris Schwinden allowed seven runs (three earned) on eight hits and a walk in four innings, he struck out five and now has a 4.06 ERA
• Jake Goldberg pitched three perfect innings in relief and struck out two; Rhiner Cruz and Michael Powers combined to pitcher a hitless bottom of the eighth inning –Cruz and Edgar Alfonzo (manager) were ejected after Cruz hit a GreenJacket batter

Minor League Update — 6/5/09

Buffalo Bisons (AAA):
16-36 (15.5 games back)

Today’s game between the Buffalo Bisons and Norfolk Tides (Baltimore Orioles) was cancelled due to rain and will not be rescheduled. The Bisons and Tides will not face each other again for the remainder of the regular season.

• Fernando Nieve was promoted to the major league roster; Nieve had a 3.70 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in 24.1 innings with Buffalo, his usual control problems –only 10 walks, have not plagued him in 2009
• Pat Misch, claimed on waivers from the Giants, will join the team and fill the empty roster spot
• Wily Mo Pena has an 11-game hitting streak
• Jon Niese (0-5, 8.05 ERA) will start for the Bisons on Saturday against the Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates)

Binghamton Mets (AA):
22-30 (7.5 games back)

CON 7 @ BIN 4

Brad Holt was impressive on the mound in his debut for the B-Mets and even contributed with a hit; however, Edgar Alfonzo and the defense imploded in the eighth, allowing four runs, which was more than enough to give the Connecticut Defenders (San Francisco Giants) a 7-4 victory.

• Nick Evans, 2 for 5, had a nifty afternoon; he had a double, scored a run and played solid defense over at first base
• Josh Thole, batting third, had a pair of walks in four plate appearances, he’s now batting .350
• Lucas Duda had an RBI double in the fifth and came around to score on a double by Carl Loadenthal
• Brad Holt didn’t give up a hit until a two-out single in the fourth; he allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits and three walks in 6.1 innings –he struck out three
• Edgar Alfonzo allowed three runs (one earned) on two hits, a walk, and sloppy defense in 1.1 innings

St. Lucie Mets (A+):
26-24 (6.5 game back)

STL 5 @ LAK 3

The Lakeland Flying Tigers (Detroit Tigers) chipped away slowly at Brant Rustich today, scoring single runs in each of the first three innings, but the St. Lucie Mets came back to win the game 5-3 in support of their, by default, ace. Rustich pitched himself into trouble in the second by allowing the first three runners to reach base, but then he settled down and struck out the next three, including catcher Jordan Newton who finished the day with four strikeouts.

• Greg Veloz added three more hits today, including a double, scored a run and drove in another; the toolsy infielder now has a .264/.332/.323/.659 line for the season
• Kirk Nieuwenheis, a powerful center fielder selected in the third round of last year’s draft, cracked a two-run homer in the seventh that broke a 3-3 tie; the shot was his eighth of the season and was the game winning hit
• Hector Pellot DH’d and went 2 for 3 with an RBI
• Brant Rustich lasted just four innings for St. Lucie, but he struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter; however, he allowed three runs (all earned) on seven hits
• Jose De La Torre and Emary Frederick pitched five scoreless innings and, combined, only allowed one run

Savannah Sand Gnats (A):
26-28 (5.0 games back)

CHA 5 @ SAV 3

The Charleston RiverDogs (New York Yankees) erased a 2-0 deficit with a four-run top of the third and claimed a 5-3 victory over the Sand Gnats. Melky Mesa, who has already erupted for 12 home runs this season, had the big hit — a two-run double with the bases loaded in the third.

• Rafael Fernandez, batting leadoff, had his second consecutive three-hit game and scored a pair of runs
• Jefry Marte, batting second again, had a three hit night, including a double, and drove in a run
• Ralph Henriquez had three hits in four at bats
• Elvin Ramirez, who entered the game with 21 walks in 50.1 innings, had no control tonight; he walked seven in just 3.1 innings and allowed five runs (two earned) on four hits
• The bullpen (Michael Powers, Jake Goldberg, and Samuel Martinez) allowed only three hits over 5.1 scoreless innings; those three combined for 12 strikeouts –Savannah pitchers struck out 15 batters tonight

Minor League Update — 6/4/09

Buffalo Bisons (AAA):
16-36 (15.5 games back)

BUF 1 @ NOR 0

Jesus Feliciano had an RBI single to right field in the fifth inning, scoring the games only run as the Bisons defeated the Norfolk Tides (Baltimore Orioles) 1-0. Both starting pitchers (Brandon Knight for the Bisons and Chris Waters for the Tides) lasted just four innings, but neither allowed a run.

• Jesus Feliciano had two hits, including the RBI single, and drew a walk, he is now batting .302 for the 2009 campaign
• Luis Rivera, playing second base, had a hit in two at bats and laid down a sacrifice bunt –he scored the game’s only run
• Brandon Knight pitched four innings and allowed only one hit, no runs, while striking out four and walking none; he didn’t factor into the decision
• The bullpen (Kyle Snyder, Jon Switzer, and Elmer Dessens) combined for five scoreless innings while only allowing two hits

Binghamton Mets (AA):
22-29 (6.5 games back)

BIN 2 @ POR 3

Emmanuel Garcia tied today’s game in the sixth inning with a two-out solo home run and Nick Evans broke the 1-1 tie with a single to right in the eighth, but Mark Wagner drove in a pair in the bottom of the inning with a double to left field that was misplayed by relay-man Ruben Tejada; the hit gave the Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox) a 3-2 lead. Binghamton attempted a comeback in the ninth, but a strike-’em-out-throw-’em-out double play ruined their chances.

• Emmanuel Garcia had just the one hit, the home run, in four at bats
• Nick Evans had a pair of singles and a walk in three at bats, he also drove in a run
• Josh Thole DH’d today and went 0 for 4
• Ruben Tejada drew a walk and had a single in two at bats; his defensive and offensive abilities have improved tremendously over the course of the season
• Eric Brown allowed a run (unearned) in seven hitless innings; he walked three and struck out six –the B-Mets allowed just one hit in the loss

St. Lucie Mets (A+):
25-24 (6.5 game back)

STL 4 @ LAK 2

STL 5 @ LAK 6

The St. Lucie Mets split a double header with the Lakeland Flying Tigers (Detroit Tigers) this evening, both games were seven-inning games. St. Lucie scored two runs in the first inning of game one on a single by Kirk Nieuwenheis and a sacrifice fly by Francisco Pena. Brahiam Maldonado put the game away in the seventh with a solo home run, making the score 4-2 (which was the final). Game two was an easy victory for the Flying Tigers, until the seventh inning. The Mets rallied with two outs for two runs (a two-run triple by Ike Davis and a wild pitch from Tigers pitcher Robbie Weinhardt with the bases loaded) but Carlos Guzman fouled out with the bases loaded in a one-run game to end the Mets rally.

• Greg Veloz had two hits, including a double, and a walk today; he scored a run and drove in a run for the Mets
• Kirk Nieuwenheis had four hits, one being a double, scored three runs and drove in another; the center fielder has had a promising 2009 campaign so far
• Ike Davis had three hits today, including a triple and a home run, and drove in three runs –he scored two
• Scott Shaw allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits in 5.2 innings; he struck out two and walked two in game one and recieved the win, improving to 2-3 on the season
• Angel Calero allowed five runs (all earned) in four innings for the Mets in game two; he struck out two, but allowed three walks and six hits –his record dropped to 1-5 with the loss

Savannah Sand Gnats (A):
26-27 (4.0 games back)

CHA 4 @ SAV 7

Savannah scored seven runs on 13 hits today while hosting the Charleston RiverDogs (New York Yankees), who only scored four runs on six hits. Daniel Brewer and Taylor Grote each had a pair of hits for the RiverDogs, but the team failed to capitalize on its chances, going just 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

• Rafael Fernandez had three hits, one being a double, in five at bats and drove in a run
• Jefry Marte, batting second to see some pitches, had two hits and drew a walk in four at bats
• Sean Ratliff had two hits in four at bats and drove in a run; one of his hits was a double
• Matthew Gaski had a perfect 4 for 4 game and scored three runs, he also drove in a run and stole a base; however, he made a fielding error
• Kyle Allen started for the Sand Gnats, allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks; he struck out six in his outting, which lasted 4.1 innings

Minor League Update — 6/3/09

Buffalo Bisons (AAA):
15-36 (16.5 games back)

The Bisons scored three runs off of Kam Mickolio in the eighth to tie the game at 3-3, but Connor Robertson surrendered a two-run double to Jolbert Cabrera in the bottom half of the inning, giving the Bisons a 5-3 loss to the Norfolk Tides (Baltimore Orioles). Cabrera also drove in a run earlier in the game with a ground out, giving him three RBI in the game.

• Luis Rivera, in his first game with Buffalo, led the team with two hits in three at bats; Buffalo’s shortstop position is a bigger mess than the Major League team’s situation
• Matt Watson, along with Rivera, was promoted from St. Lucie (A+) before the game
• Wily Mo Pena had the only RBI for Buffalo, with an infield single in the eighth
• Jesus Feliciano continued to be a reliable player for Buffalo, going 1 for 4 and scoring a run, he is following up 2008′s .308 average with a .296 line
• Fernando Nieve allowed three runs on five hits and a walk in six innings, he struck out five and has a 3.70 ERA for the season
• Emil Brown was promoted the Major League Roster; good luck and Emil and thanks for your brief time with the organization, as you will almost surely be DFA’d after sitting for a few days on the Mets bench
• Connor Robertson now has a 5.61 ERA, perhaps he should try hitting again

Binghamton Mets (AA):
22-28 (5.5 games back)

Josh Thole drove in Emmanuel Garcia with a double to right field in the ninth inning, which extended Binghamton’s lead to 4-2 over the Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox); however, Julio De La Cruz loaded the bases for the Sea Dogs by giving up a single and walking two and then Roy Merritt, Cruz’ replacement, allowed all three runners to score and handing the Sea Dogs a 5-4 walk-off victory.

• Emmanuel Garcia led off for Binghamton and had four hits in five at bats, including a double, he scored two runs and drove in another
• Nick Evans went o for 3, but walked twice batting second for the B-Mets
• Josh Thole had two hits, a double and a triple, and drove in two runs; the cathcer now has a .923 OPS
• Ruben Tejada hit two doubles and scored a run in four at bats, the 19-year-old now has an impressive .752 OPS
• Ryan Coultas allowed just two runs on nine hits while striking out five –he now has a 2.59 ERA
• The B-Mets demoted the struggling Dylan Owen, who was 0-5 with a 6.97 ERA in 10 starts with Binghamton this season, to St. Lucie (A+); Owen walked 27 while striking out only 30 in 50.1 innings
• Jose Sanchez, who was also struggling and sported a 6.88 ERA, was placed on the disabled list –he has mono
• Pitchers Brad Holt, Jenrry Mejia, and Edgar Ramirez were all promoted from St. Lucie (A+) to Binghamton
• Holt is scheduled to debut for Binghamton with a start on Friday and Mejia will start game two of Saturday’s double-header

St. Lucie Mets (A+):
24-23 (6.0 game back)

Tonight’s game between the St. Lucie Mets and the Lakeland Flying Tigers (Detroit Tigers) was postponed due to rain. The two will play a double header tomorrow, starting with a game at five p.m.

• Jenrry Mejia, promoted to Binghamton today, is 19-years-old and held a 1.97 ERA with a 4-1 record in 50.1 innings with St. Lucie this season; he struck out 44 and walked 16
• Brad Holt, also promoted to Binghamton, is 22-years-old and also compiled a 4-1 record, he had a 3.05 ERA in 41.1 innings and struck out  50 while only walking 10
• Edgar Ramirez, promoted to Binghamton, is 25-years-old and did not allow a run 21.2 innings while striking out 18 and walking only five
• Luis Rivera, promoted to Buffalo, is 25-years-old and batted just .125 (2 for 16) for St. Lucie, he was promoted for depth
• Matt Watson, promoted to Buffalo, is 30-years-old and batted .444 (4 for 9) while with St. Lucie
• Pitchers Jeff Kaplan and Jimmy Johnson were promoted to St. Lucie from Savannah (A) to replace a couple of St. Lucie’s vacated roster spots

Savannah Sand Gnats (A):
25-27 (5.0 games back)

The Sand Gnats scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth with small ball tactics (a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch) to tie the game at 3-3, but the Charleston RiverDogs (New York Yankees) scored a run in the top of the 12th inning and the incredible Pat Venditte came in to close the game, pitching a scoreless inning while allowing just one hit and striking out two –he now has a 0.77 ERA this season.

• Jefry Marte had two hits, including a pivotal double in the eighth, and scored one of Savannah’s three runs
• Joshua Satin had two hits in four at bats and drove in one of the Sand Gnats runs
• Matthew Gaski had two hits and scored a run as Savannah’s second baseman
• Robert Carson allowed three runs on nine hits and two walks in five innings, he struck out two and has a 2.41 ERA
• Jeffrey Kaplan, promoted to St. Lucie, is 23-years-old and sported a 1.46 ERA through 10 games with Savannah, he struck out 47 while only walking 17
• Jimmy Johnson, promoted to St. Lucie, is 23-years-old and struck out 28 while walking only six batters; he had a 0.68 ERA through 26.1 innings
• Samuel Martinez, who is 30-years-old and learning how to catch after being a pitching prospect, was promoted to St. Lucie to help fill the empty roster spots

Brad Holt Scouting Report

Today the Mets promoted three pitching prospects (Brad Holt, Jenrry Mejia, and Edgar Ramirez) from St. Lucie (A+) to Binghamton (AA).

Ramirez, age 25, is no longer a potential prospect and Jenrry Mejia, only 19, has an extremely high ceiling, but is still a couple of years away from the bright lights of CitiField.

Brad Holt, on the other hand, is not very far away from making his way onto a major league roster and should be the next name on the tip of Mets fans’ tongues –and he’s only 23.

Holt, now the fourth ranked prospect in the Mets minor league system by Baseball America, was not an elite prospect entering his final season (he attended the University of North Carolina-Wilmington), finishing the prior season, his Sophomore season, with a 5.90 ERA and a walk rate just over six per nine innings (6.2).

However, Holt’s fastball velocity and slider movement improved and the results were an 11-1 record with a 3.18 ERA and a 9.2 K/9 ratio in his final year with UNCW. His increased value boosted him into a pitcher with first round draft potential, eventually being taken with a supplemental first round pick by the Mets –33rd overall.

The Mets immediately placed Holt with the short season Brooklyn Cyclones of the New York-Penn League. Holt dominated his peers, striking out 96 batters and allowing just 43 hits in 72.1 innings with the Cyclones. The 96 strikeouts were a Brooklyn record (he tied a franchise record by striking out 14 batters against the Vermont Lake Monsters in just six innings on July 24, 2008) and he led the league with a 1.87 ERA. Holt was honored with a spot on the league’s All Star team, where he threw a scoreless inning.

Despite his success, scouts still questioned Holt’s pitching repertoire. His fastball now clocks in between 93 and 95 miles per hour consistantly thought games and, occasionaly, Holt has reached back and thrown a pitch at 97 miles per hour. His fastball has average movement on it, but he has commanded the pitch brilliantly since his senior year and loses little-to-no velocity even late in games.

Holt combines his impressive fastball with a developing slider that has potential to become a secondary plus-pitch. This pitch is still a work in progress, but the organization’s coaches have done a wonderful job in refining his control and velocity on the pitch, which has late movement and breaks just enough to stay in the strike zone but still miss the opposition’s bat.

His third pitch is a changeup that he has good command for, but is nothing more than a setup pitch at this point. If Holt can continue to improve his slider, while maintaining his dangerous fastball, then he has the potential to convert his high minor league strikeout rates (11.9 K/9 with Brooklyn in 2008 and 10.9 with St. Lucie in 2009) into equally impressive numbers against Major League lineups.

Despite his lack of success in college, and command problems heading into his final spring with UNCW, Holt has flashed signs of brilliance in the minor leagues and was rewarded with his promotion this afternoon. At 6’4 and possesing long, lanky limbs, Holt has the desirable build for a pitching prospect and has an advantage when throwing to the mound because of his legs –the longer the legs, the closer the pitcher is to the plate when he releases the ball.

Pros: Fastball, the best in the Mets system

Cons: He already overcame those

Comparisons: Max Scherzer, Randy Johnson

Minor League Update — 6/2/09

Buffalo Bisons (AAA):
15-35 (16.0 games back)

Buffalo scored four unearned runs off of Chris Tillman, who committed two errors, to defeat the Norfolk Tides (Baltimore Orioles) 4-2. Oscar Salazar, who is currently hitting .380/.417/.630/1.048 for Norfolk this season, had two hits and scored one of the team’s two runs. The Bisons put the game away in the fourth inning when the team scored three runs off of two errors by the Tides.

• Emil Brown had two of Buffalo’s six hits, he also scored a run
• Mike Lamb had the team’s only extra base hit, an RBI double in the fourth
• Cory Sullivan did not have a hit today, which snapped his hitting streak at nine games
• Nelson Figueroa pitched 7.2 innings and allowed only one run (earned) on six hits and a walk, he struck out three and now has a 3.17 ERA
• Lance Broadway still needs to be judged entirely by his profile picture

Binghamton Mets (AA):
22-27 (5.0 games back)

Mark Wagner hit a two-run double in the sixth inning and then scored on a double by Aaron Bates to lead the Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox) over the Binghamton Mets 3-2. Junichi Tazawa, Boston’s big name Japanese signing this off season, started for Portland and limited the B-Mets to just five hits and two runs over seven innings –he now has a 2.79 ERA for the seaosn.

• Lucas Duda is erupting, he hit a double and a home run, which now gives him two doubles, two home runs, six walks, and three RBIs since Friday’s game –he only had eight doubles and one homer before that game
• Josh Thole had a hit and scored a run, he is now batting .361/.432/.476/.908 for Binghamton
• Tobi Stoner took the loss after allowing three runs (all earned) on four hits and four walks in 6.2 innings, he struck out five and now has a 2.81 ERA
• The B-Mets will wear Star Trek inspired jerseys on Friday, here is Josh Thole modeling the jersey

St. Lucie Mets (A+):
24-23 (6.5 game back)

St. Lucie’s impressive pitching performances contiuned today with Eric Niesen on the mound against the Clearwater Thrashers (Philadelphia Phillies), but the FSL Mets fell 4-1. Fidel Hernandez, four hits, and Dominic Brown, two home runs and three RBI, punished the St. Lucie pitchers, something that their teammates were incapable of doing.

• Greg Veloz had two hits in five plate appeances and scored St. Lucies only run –the team’s other eight hitters only had three hits combined
• Ike Davis had a hit in four at bats and drove in Greg Veloz with a two-out single in the bottom of the third
• Reese Havens was placed on the seven-day disabled list to make room Hector Pellot, Havens injury has not been specified
• Hector Pellot went 0 for 4 as the DH in his return to the lineup
• Eric Niesen allowed four runs (all earned) on nine hits in seven innings, he struck out five and allowed no walks, but gave up three home runs

Savannah Sand Gnats (A):
25-26 (4.0 games back)

The Sand Gnats dropped today’s game against the Charleston RiverDogs (New York Yankees) by the final score of 5-3. David Adams hit a two-run double to left field in the third inning, which put the RiverDogs ahead 3-1 at the time, Melky Mesa then drove Adams in with a double of his own. Pat Venditte, the Yankees switch-pitching prospect tossed 1.1 scoreless innings against Savannah for his 15th save of the season, he now has a 0.81 ERA for 2009.

• Jean Luc Blaquiere was hitless in three at bats, but scored two runs for the Sand Gnats
• Jefry Marte had a hit and an RBI, on a bases loaded walk, in three at bats
• Wilmer Flores also had a hit, but committed an error in the field, his fifth of the season
• Luis Alen, who entered the game as a pinch hitter in the second inning, had two hits in four at bats
• Jeffrey Kaplan gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits and four walks in four innings, he struck out five and now has a 1.46 ERA; Kaplan took the loss and is now 4-2 for 2009