New York Mets Daily Farm System Report- 7/30/12: Nimmo Rocks A Sure Shot; The Hits Can't, Won't, Don't Stop

*All results from games played on Sunday, July 30, 2012

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AAA - Buffalo Bisons (53-56)_______________________________________

BUFFALO 3, INDIANAPOLIS 2 (Box)

In a well-played game on both side, the Bison triumphed over the Indians 3-2. Lucas May knocked in all three of Buffalo’s RBI, doubling in the 2^nd to drive in Adam Loewen and Matt Den Dekker and hitting a single in the 7^th to drive in den Dekker once again. Chris Schwinden tossed seven strong innings, and Robert Carson notched his first AAA save.

• CF Matt Den Dekker: 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K; den Dekker is barely hitting over the Mendoza line now
• C Lucas May: 2-4, 3 RBI, 2 K, E (7)
• LF Fred Lewis: 0-5, 2 K
• 1B Adam Loewen: 1-2, 2 BB, SB (2)
• 2B Josh Satin: 0-3, 1 BB; Got some reps at 1^st with Brad Emaus manning second as a defensive replacement in the 8^th
• RHP Chris Schwinden: 7 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 5 K; With the bat, Schwinden notched a hit and also walked
• LHP Robert Carson: 1.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 2 K, SV (1)

ROSTER ALERT: The Mets have optioned Kirk Nieuwinhuis to AAA-Buffalo to make room on the MLB roster for Mike Baxter, who was activated off the Disabled List

AA - Binghamton Mets (51-56)_____________________________________

BINGHAMTON 6, PORTLAND 2 (Box)

Binghamton got things off in a hurry, as Sea Dog starter Stolmy Pimentel couldn’t get out of his own way. After walking three of the first batters he faced, Pimentel walked Jefry Marte to force in a run, hit Dustin Martin to force in a run, and then allowed a single to Juan Centeno that plated two more. And that was all she wrote for the beleaguered starter, who lasted 0.1 innings, doing his best Oliver Perez impression. With the tone set, the B-Mets cruised to a win. The only bump came in the 6^th, when Mark Cohoon gave up a lead off homer, and then allowed a pair of doubles to plate another run.

• CF Juan Lagares: 1-3, 1 R, 2 BB
• 2B Sean Kazmar: 1-4, 2 R, HR (4), 1 RBI, 1 BB
• 1B Wilmer Flores: 1-4
• DH Eric Campbell: 0-2, 2 R, 2 BB
• 3B Jefry Marte: 1-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K
  
• C Juan Centeno: 1-4, 2 RBI, 1 BB
• SS Wilfredo Tovar: 0-4, 3 K
• LHP Mark Cohoon: 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 0 K, HR
• LHP C.J. Nitkowski: 0.2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 K

REHAB ALERT: Frank Francisco allowed one hit in 1 IP

Hi-A - St. Lucie Mets (17-20 // 66-39)________________________________________

LAKELAND 6, ST. LUCIE 4 (Box)

St. Lucie wasted a good outing by Logan Verrett and squandered a late inning comeback in their loss to the Flying Tigers. The Mets were down by one in the 7^th, and put up a three spot in an inning that saw three walks, a wild pitch, a throwing error, a hit batsman, and two stolen bases. A sac and a single tied the game in the 8^th, and in the 9^th, Lakeland scored another two on three singles, all allowed by Jeffrey Walters. St. Lucie couldn’t muster a comeback in the bottom of the 9^th, and saw their five-game winning streak come to an end.

• CF Alonzo Harris: 1-4, 2 R, 1 BB, SB (27)
• SS T.J. Rivera: 1-5, 2 RBI, 2 K, SB (3)
• 2B Daniel Muno: 0-0, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 2 SB (11); Mr. OBP has another Moneyball game
• RF Cory Vaughn: 0-3, 1 BB
• 3B Aderlin Rodriguez: 0-4
• C Kai Gronauer: 0-4, 2 K
• LF Travis Taijeron: 0-2 1 R, 1 K, HBP
• RHP Logan Verrett: 6.1 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
• RHP Jeffrey Walters: 1.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BS (3)

Lo-A - Savannah Sand Gnats (16-21 // 57-47)__________________________________

ROME 6, SAVANNAH 2 (Box)

Marcos Camarena had a bad day, giving up 10 hits, and 5 runs (three of which came from a pair of homers belted by Chase Anselment) in five innings. Savannah scratched in a run in the 5^th and again in the 7^th, but for the most part, the Rome Braves swatted away Savannah batters like, well, sand gnats. This game really had no redeeming qualities.

• LF Gregory Pron: 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K, SB (11)
• 1B Cole Frenzel: 1-4, 1 R,
• 2B Yucarybert De La Cruz: 0-4, 1 K
• DH Albert Cordero: 0-4
• RF Charles Thurber: 1-2, 2 RBI, 1 BB
• RHP Marcos Camarena: 5.1 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 5 K, 2 HR

Short Season A - Brooklyn Cyclones (24-17)__________________________________

BROOKLYN 10, MAHONING VALLEY 5 (Box)

In an offensive onslaught, the Cyclones scrapped the Scrappers. Mahoning Valley starter Ryan Merritt started off the game on the wrong foot, allowing a single to Brandon Nimmo and walking Jeff Reynolds. This brought Phillip Evans up to the plate, and he promptly deposited Merritt’s offering into the stands, giving Brooklyn a lead that they never relinquished. Julian Hilario gave up two runs, but he and Beck Wheeler kept the team in the game for the first six innings, allowing the offense to do their thing- Julio Concepcion and Brandon Nimmo piled on with a home run each in the second. Things got shaky in the bottom of the 8^th, as Timothy Peterson got into trouble, allowing a run to score, and his replacement Logan Taylor allowed another two runs to score (both charged to Peterson). The Scrappers wouldn’t be able to capitalize any further, and went down punchless in the bottom of the 9^th to secure the Cyclones’ victory.

• CF Brandon Nimmo: 4-6, 3 R, 2 RBI, HR (3); Though he’s walking at a very good clip, Nimmo sometimes looks overmatched at the plate, but not tonight
• SS Philip Evans: 3-5, 2 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB, HR (4)
• 2B Jeff Reynolds: 3-4, 3 R, 1 BB
• 3B Alexander Sanchez: 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 K
• C Kevin Plawecki: 0-4, BB
• RF Julio Concepcion: 3-5, 2 R, 1 RBI, HR (1)
• RHP Julian Hilario: 3 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 4 K
• RHP Beck Wheeler: 3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 6 K; The lesser Wheeler got awarded the win for the game

Appalachian League (R) - Kingsport Mets (12-24)__________________________________

JOHNSON CITY 6, KINGSPORT 2 (Box)

The Johnson City Johnsons Cardinals beat Kingsport in a close game that ultimately got out of hand for the Mets in late innings. Jeffrey Diehl (who was born in 1994, making me almost ten years older than him and feeling very old) pitched well enough, allowing eight hits and three runs, but his offense couldn’t muster much against his Johnson City counterpart, Chris Flexen. Robert Gsellman let things get out of hand in the 7^th, allowing three runs to put the game out of reach, but Kingsport wouldn’t get on the board after the fourth, so it’s not like those three runs mattered much in the grand scheme of things.

• CF Bradley Marquez: 1-4, CS (2)
• SS Gavin Cecchini: 1-4, 2 K
• RF Jeffrey Diehl: 0-4, 3 K
• RHP Jeffrey Diehl: 6 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• RHP Robert Gsellman: 2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Star of the Night

Can I give the award to the top third of the Cyclones order, who went a collective 10 for 15 with 8 runs scored, 6 RBI, 1 BB, 0 Ks, and three extra base hits, two of which were home runs? Of the three, I think Brandon Nimmo had the most impressive night.

Goat of the Night

It's a toss up between Marcos Camarena, whose 10 hit, 5 run performance over five innings was fairly pitiful, and Jeffery Walters, who didn't pitch particularly horrible (though he certainly didn't pitch well, blowing a lead) but his blown save ended St. Lucie's winning streak. I flipped a coin, and Walters comes out as our goat.