*All results from games played on Thursday, August 9 2012
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AAA - Buffalo Bisons (60-66)_______________________________________
LEHIGH VALLEY 5, BUFFALO 2 (Box)
In his third start in Triple-A Zack Wheeler had his toughest outing since the promotion. As has been the case when he's struggled, command was an issue for the 21-yr old righty. Despite the fact that he threw a more than acceptable 68% of his pitches for strikes (61 of 89), he featured very little fastball command. In fact he managed to fall behind 12 of the 23 batters he faced, often being punished as he worked out of a hole. Additionally, he consistently left breaking pitches up all afternoon, especially the sliders. He also surrendered just his third home run of the season in this one, a rope to left by blue chip catching prospect Sebastien Valle. It was on a fastball that actually wasn't a bad pitch, low and in, but caught a little too much of the plate and Valle is a dead fastball hitter.
- LF Lucas Duda: 1-3, RBI, K (.262/.319/.400)
- 3B Zach Lutz: 2-4 (.303/.408/.497)
- 2B Josh Satin: 0-3, BB, K .292/.396/.462)
- CF Matt Den Dekker: 0-4, 2 K (.207/.240/.401) More and more MDD is profiling as a Tylver Colvin-esque platoon OF
- RHP Zack Wheeler: 5 IP, 5 ER, 8 H, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, 1 WP (4.60, 15.2 IP, 13 H, 7 BB, 16 K, 1 HR)
AA - Binghamton Mets (60-64)_____________________________________
BINGHAMTON 2, NEW HAMPSHIRE 5 (Box)
There's pretty much nothing worth noting about this one. Oh, Wilmer was back at second with Reese Havens characteristically missing time with a stiff back. That is all.
- CF Juan Lagares: 1-5, K(.279/.333/.385)
- 2B Wilmer Flores: 1-4, BB, 2 K(.296/.345/.430)
- SS Wilfredo Tovar: 1-4, 2 RBI, K(.221/.280/.290) Still having trouble transitioning to Double-A
- 3B Jefry Marte: 2-3, 2 R, BB, SB(7) (.260/.330/.382) Decent season continues, 2:1 post-ASB K-to-BB rate really isn't helping...wonder what he'd look like in an age-appropriate league though
- RHP Greg Peavey: 8 IP, 5 ER, 9 H, 0 BB, 3, 2 H(5.41, 123 IP, 148 H, 31 BB, 70 K, 5 HR)
Hi-A - St. Lucie Mets (28-24 // 77-43)________________________________________
PALM BEACH 5, ST. LUCIE 7 (Box)
St. Lucie won this one in true Mets fashion last night. The li'l Amazins went ahead early on the always satisfying seconding inning three-run bomb, courtesy of the revitalized Alonzo Harris. Note: I'll say it again, Harris has re-emerged this season as an interesting player to watch. Cory Vaughn knocked his third homer in as many games, solidifying his status as the best future fantasy player in the org. Another Note: While I haven't been overly impressed with him in 2012, Vaughn's second half stats (.261/.381/.479, 9 HR, 14 SB) have been downright good. Things were peachy until the eighth when Jeffrey Walters went all Frank Francisco, doing his very best to choke up a six-run Mets lead. Fortunately cooler customers prevailed and the home team won out.
- 3B Aderlin Rodriguez: 1-4, E(7) (.231/.286/.452)
- RF Cesar Puello: 3-4, 2B, RBI, 2 R, SB(14) (.256/.320/.406) Can't say I approve of the 2% BB-rate, nor the 25% K-rate, but the .148 ISO certainly has been a pleasant surprise
- 2B Daniel Muno: 2-3, R, 2 BB, SB(16) (.290/.384/.441)
- RF Cory Vaughn:2-4, HR(21), 2 RBI, R, SB(17) (.242/.352/.460) And gunned down a runner at home plate for good measure
- CF Alonzo Harris: 1-5, HR(7), 2 RBI, R, 2 K (.291/.363/.439)
- C Blake Forsythe: 1-3, R, BB (.262/.362/.414) Quietly posting a solid line, minus the plate discipline
- LHP Angel Cuan: 7 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 3 K, WP (3.35, 110 IP, 113 H, 24 BB, 77 K, 9 HR) 10 groundouts to 5 strikeouts
- RHP Taylor Whitenton: 0.2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K (2.04, 53 IP, 36 H, 32 BB, 62 K, 0 HR)
- LHP Adam Kolarek: 1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 K (1.62, 50 IP, 39 H, 15 BB, 65 K, 1 HR) Back in PSL after a bumpy Double-A debut
Lo-A - Savannah Sand Gnats (24-28 // 65-54)__________________________________
SAVANNAH 6, HICKORY 5 (Box)
Starter Domingo Tapia wasn't his sharpest in this one. Fortunately the Gnats bats bailed him out; namely 2B Yucarybert De La Cruz, who delivered a rather crucial three-run bomb in the seventh. Back to Tapia, who despite a bumpy one last night has been pretty excellent since the ASB. Now he's gone under the radar a bit as Fulmer and DeGrom have grabbed a bunch of attention and he hasn't been quite as flashy as early in the season. However, the hard-throwing 20-yr old has managed to chop over a run off his ERA and more notably nearly 100 batting points from SAL hitters since returning from his mid-season hiatus.
- CF Gilbert Gomez: 1-2, RBI (.274/.382/.383)
- SS Matthew Reynolds: 1-4, 2B, R, K (.252/.331/.343)
- DH Camden Maron: 0-4, 2 RBI, K (.299/.390/.405)
- RHP Domingo Tapia: 6.2 IP, 3 ER (1 unearned), 6 H, 3 BB, 6 K (3.48, 98.1 IP, 75 H, 32 BB, 87 K, 0 HR, 2.79 GB/FB) Still had a sterling 12:1 GB-to-FB rate
Short Season A - Brooklyn Cyclones (34-22)__________________________________
BROOKLYN 2, TRI-CITY 4 (Box)
After waiting his turn over eight stellar relief appearances this Tiger out of the Ivy League earned his stripes in his first professional start, allowing a single hit over four scoreless. The slender thirteenth rounder might not have the stuff of the other Cyclones starters but you can't argue with a 21:2 K-to-BB rate over his first 21 innings. Unfortunately the other Matthew the Mets drafted, in the third round, wasn't nearly as sharp. Koch, the former Louisville closer, continued what's been a difficult pro debut as he allowed four hits for his second straight relief appearance and doomed the Cyclones on this night.
- CF Brandon Nimmo: 1-4, K, CS(3) (.275/.397/.429) Batting .410 with an 1.100 OPS over his last ten
- SS Phillip Evans: 0-4, R, K (.229/.307/.335) After a .910 OPS in June he's posted sub-600 marks in the following two months, tres disappointing
- C Kevin Plawecki: 2-4, RBI, K (.265/.371/.391) After a .609 OPS in June he's posted an .850+ mark since
- RF Eudy Pina: 1-3, BB, OF Assist (.265/.332/.422)
- RHP Matthew Bowman: 4 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K (2.11, 21.1 IP, 16 H, 2 BB, 21 K, 1 HR)
- RHP Matthew Koch: 2 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1 HB (5.52, 14.2 IP, 15 H, 6 BB, 12 K, 1 HR)
Appalachian League (R) - Kingsport Mets (18-34)__________________________________
KINGSPORT 14, JOHNSON CITY 4 (Box)
After the K-Mets put 14 up on the board two nights ago, Johnson City returned the favor last night, provising a thorough beating of our boys in Kingsport.
- CF Maikis De La Cruz: 1-4, R (.277/.328/.393)
- DH Gavin Cecchini: 1-4, K (.257/.327/.360)
- LF Joe Tuschak: 2-4, 2B (.186/.311/.265)
- 2B Branden Kaupe: 0-3, BB, 2 K (.192/.391/.202)
- RHP Corey Oswalt: 2.1 IP, 7 ER, 8 H, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR (9.00, 31 IP, 46 H, 6 BB, 15 K, 1 HR) Rough go of it thus far for the 2012 seventh rounder
- LHP Juan Urbina: 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 6 K (6.14, 7.1 IP, 5 H, 14 BB, 11 K) Signs of life? Still walking nearly two batters an inning, has anyone in the system fallen from grace faster
Star of the Night
Let's go with Savannah's smartly-named second baseman Yucarybert De La Cruz, who cast off his lowly .193 average for one night and sent the Gnats back to their budget motel rooms winners with his game-winning three-run home run. You go Yucarybert!
Goat of the Night
Yesterday no clear goat. Today very clear goat. Jeffrey Walters has actually been very solid for St. Lucie this season; but unfortunately for him any Frank Francisco impressions automatically land you down here.