Mets Daily Farm Report - 7/22/13: Reno 9-1-1nning

*All results from games played on Wednesday, July 17^th, 2013*
AAA -Las Vegas 51s (52-47)__________________________________

LAS VEGAS 15, RENO 8 (Box)

Both teams scored a run each early on, but the real story started in the bottom of the 3^rd, when the Reno Aces scored five runs, all earned, off of Chris Schwinden. You'd think that with the collection of hitters that can be found in the Las Vegas roster, that they wouldn't be able to come back from that kind of deficit, especially with rehabbing major league pitcher Brandon McCarthy on the hill for Reno, right? Wrong! In the 5^th inning, the 51s put up a five spot of their own. With the bases loaded, Zach Lutz hit a bases-clearing double, and Jordany Valdespin followed that up with a two-run home run, his 1^st minor league homer of the year. With the game scored, the Aces scored a run in the bottom of the inning, putting them ahead once more. You'd think that with the collection of hitters that can be found in the Las Vegas roster, that they wouldn't be able to have another giant, five run inning right? Well, technically, you might be right, but in spirit, you'd be wrong again. In the 6^th inning, the 51s put up a nine spot to to take a commanding lead. No, that is not a typo- the Las Vegas 51s scored nine runs in the 6^th inning, an impressive sum for any team, in any league. Here's how it went down:

Every Las Vegas starter except for Matt den Dekker had at least one hit for the night.

• LF Mike Baxter: 2-5, 2 R, 3B, BB, RBI
• SS Ruben Tejada: 3-6, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI
• 1B Zach Lutz: 1-4, 2 R, 2B, 2 BB, 3 RBI
• 2B Jordany Valdespin: 4-6, 2 R, K, 5 RBI, HR (1), SB (2), CS (2), E (2)
• CF Matt den Dekker: 0-3
• C Juan Centeno: 2-5, 2 R, K
• RHP Chris Schwinden: 4 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, HR

AA -Binghamton Mets (61-37)_____________________________________

BINGHAMTON 5, NEW BRITAIN 3 (Box)

The B-Mets took three of four from the Rock Cats with their 5-3 win last night. Allan Dykstra got things going with an RBI double, scoring Josh Rodriguez, but Erik Goeddel promptly gave that run right back on a Nate Hanson solo home run in the bottom of the 1^st, and then a Miguel Sano solo homer in the bottom of the 2^nd. In the top of the 3^rd, the B-Mets put up a three spot to but them back ahead. Josh Rodriguez hit a double that scored Alonzo Harris, Cesar Puello hit a double that scored Rodriguez, and Travis Taijeron hit a double that drove in Puello. In the bottom of the 6^th, Wilfredo Tovar comitted a throwing error that allowed Miguel Sano to score from second, slimming Binghamton's lead to only one run, but that wouldn't last long. In the top of the 7^th, after Puello was intentionally walked to load the bases, Allan Dykstra drove in a second run on a sac fly that scored Danny Muno and gave Binghamton a little more breathing room. Adam Kolarek and Pedro Feliciano worked a perfect 7^th and 8^th, respectivley, and closer Jeff Walters notched his 26^th save of the season.

• 2B Danny Muno: 1-5, R, 2 K
• 3B Josh Rodriguez: 2-3, 2 R, 2 2B, 2 BB, RBI
• RF Cesar Puello: 1-3, R, 2B, BB, 2 K, RBI, SB (23), HBP
• DH Allan Dykstra: 1-2, 2B, BB, K, 2 RBI
• LF Travis Taijeron: 1-4, 2B, K, RBI
• SS Wilfredo Tovar: 0-4, E (10)
• CF Alonzo Harris: 2-4, R, 2B, K
• RHP Erik Goeddel: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 8 K, 2 HR, WP
• LHP Pedro Feliciano: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• RHP Jeff Walters: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, SV (26)

Hi-A -St. Lucie Mets (15-10 / 52-40)________________________________________

ST. LUCIE 7, DAYTONA 5 (Box)

Rain delayed the start of the game, but St. Lucie and the Cubs got their game in after everything was said and done. Dustin Lawley got things going for St. Lucie, driving in Kyle Johnson with a single. Kevin Plawecki had the opportunity to tack on runs, with men on first and second, but was unable to, grounding into an inning ending double play instead. The Cubs would have no such problems, scoring two in the bottom of the inning. Daytona's left fielder, Zeke DeVoss, was particularly troublesome- after working the count and walking, he stole second base and third base, before scoring on a sac fly. The Mets wouldn't stay behind for long. Though scoreless in the 2^nd, they scored a pair in the 3^rd to put them back up by a run- after T.J. Rivera doubled, Jayce Boyd hit his 4^th home run with St. Lucie, and 9^th of the year. In the 5^th, Daytona scored a pair of runs, chasing starter Michael Fulmer after an underwhelming 4.1 innings and taking the lead once more. St. Lucie tied things in the 6^th on a Kyle Johnson RBI single, and took the lead in the 7^th on a Robbie Shields double that plated a pair. Daytona plated a run in the bottom of the 7^th, but Dustin Lawley's solo home run in the 9^th negated that run and preserved St. Lucie's two run lead, the lead the ballgame would end with.

• 2B-SS T.J. Rivera: 1-5, R, 2B, K
• DH Jayce Boyd: 2-4, 2 R, 2B, BB, 2 RBI, HR (4)
• LF Dustin Lawley: 3-5, R, 2B, 2 K, 2 RBI, HR (20)
• C Kevin Plawecki: 0-3, 2 BB
• SS Matt Reynolds: 1-3, R, K, HBP
• CF Kyle Johnson: 1-3, 2 BB, K, RBI, 2 SB (6,7)
• RHP Michael Fulmer: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
• LHP Tim Byrdak: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• RHP T.J. Chism: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, SV (15)

Lo-A -Savannah Sand Gnats(12-14 / 55-40)__________________________________

SAVANNAH 4, DELMARVA 2 (Box)

The Sand Gnats came out of the gates with guns blazing, scoring three runs in the 1^st. Maikis De La Cruz got things going with a two-out double. Cole Frenzel should have been out on the ground ball he hit, but a throwing error by Shorebird second baseman Kris Richards gave him life, allowing him to reach first and move on to second while De La Cruz scored. Eudy Pina came to the plate next and hit a long double that bounced over the centerfield fence for a ground rule double, scoring Frenzel. Jorge Rivero then doubled himself, scoring Pina. Just as quickly as they went up 3-0, Steven Matz almost gave the lead back up. After allowing consecutive singles, he walked a batter, loading the bases with one out. He got the next batter to pop up for the second out, but was unable to navigate out of the bases loaded situation unscathed- centerfielder Gregory Lorenzo singled up the middle, scoring two. Savannah scored an insurance run in the 8^th inning, on a Pina solo home run, but it would ultimatley prove unnecessary, as Matz and the rest of the bullpen prevented the Shorebirds from scoring again in the game.

• SS Chad Zurcher: 2-5, K
• CF Brandon Nimmo: 0-4, BB, K
• DH Maikis De La Cruz: 2-4, R, SB (7)
• RF Eudy Pina: 2-4, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, HR (10)
• 2B Jorge Rivero: 2-4, 2B, RBI
• C Albert Cordero: 1-3, BB
• LHP Steven Matz: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
• RHP Beck Wheeler: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, SV (11)
• RHP Shawn Teufel: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Short-A - Brooklyn Cyclones (15-18)

BATAVIA 2, BROOKLYN 3 / 10 (Box)

It took the Cyclones 10 innings, but they got the win over the Muckdogs, scoring a run in dramatic walk-off fashion. Honestly, though, it should have never gotten to that point. Brooklyn pitchers allowed only two hits the entire game, and the Cyclones left 11 men on base- the combination of seven unintentional walks on the part of the pitchers, and general failure with men in on base was suboptimal, to say the least. The Cyclones scored in the 2^nd inning on a pair of doubles by Jared King and James Roche. Batavia scored the next two runs, one in the 5^th and one in the 8^th. In the bottom of the 8^th, down by one, Julio Concepcion grounded out into a force play that scored King, who was at third, tying the game. With neither team able to score in the 9^th, into extra innings things went. While Batavia went down 1-2-3 in the 10^th, things were a bit different for the Cyclones. The rehabbing Justin Turner singled, L.J. Mazzilli singled, and Jared King bunted to move both runners over. With first base open, Matt Oberste was intentionally walked to load the bases and set up the double play. Julio Concepcion would have none of it, and laced a line drive single into left, driving in the winning run. We can only assume that in addition to rehabbing his body and baseball skills, Justin Turner used this opportunity to rehab his celebratory pie throwing skills.

• CF Patrick Biondi: 0-5
• SS Juan Carlos Gamboa:
• 2B L.J. Mazzilli: 2-5
• LF Jared King: 1-3, 2 R, 2B, BB
• RF James Roche: 2-4, 2 2B, RBI
• RHP John Gant: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
• REHAB ALERT SS Justin Turner: 2-5, R, 2B, K

Rk - Kingsport Mets (16-13)_____________________________

KINGSPORT 8, PRINCETON 1 (Box)

The offense was clicking on all cylenders, and Chris Flexen was absolutely dominant. Put two and two together, and Kingsport gets another win, this one in dominating fashion. Kingsport put up two three-run innings, in the 3^rd, and in the 8^th, and one run apiece in the 5^th and 9^th. The Princeton Rays, on the other hand, had difficulty scoring, knocking in only a single run in the 8^th inning. The reason was Chris Flexen, who held the Rays to three hits, all of them singles and two of them coming in the first inning.

• CF Champ Stuart: 3-4, 2 R, 2B, BB, K, 2 RBI, SB (5)
• 2B Jeff McNeil: 3-5, R, K, RBI, SB (5)
• RF Victor Cruzado: 2-4, K, 2 RBI
• SS Amed Rosario: 1-5, R, 2 K, RBI
• LF Bradley Marquez: 1-4, R,
• RHP Chris Flexen: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K

Rk - GCL Mets (6-19)_______________________________

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

OTHER

This felt like a good place to bring this up: make sure to cast a ballot in Minor League Baseball's 2013 Mascot Mania contest. The minor leagues, as we all know, have some of the best team names. Well, they have some of the best mascots to go along with those team names.

Star of the Night

Chris Flexen was fabulous yesterday...

Goat of the Night

Chris Schwinden, on the other hand, was not.

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