Mets Daily Farm Report - 8/21/13: Flexen Flexes His Mound Muscles

*All results from games played on Tuesday, August 20^th, 2013*

AAA -Las Vegas 51s (72-57)__________________________________

LAS VEGAS 6, SALT LAKE 3 (Box)

When Rafael Montero takes the mound, good things usually happen. Coming into the game, the 22-year-old right-hander had a 3.25 ERA in 72 innings (13 starts) for the Las Vegas 51s. Of late, he had been particularly good- before last night's game, Montero allowed four earned runs in 28 innings pitched, walking five batters and striking out twenty-eight. Montero was a bit shaky last night, but he wasn't bad- he certainly wasn't good, either. He lasted only five innings, giving up eight hits and allowing a pair of walks. He was danced in an out of danger in the 2^nd and 3^rd, but came out of both with only a few scratches- a few good defensive plays and some luck certainly helped. Matt Shoemaker, the Bees' starter, looked a lot better, pitching seven innings and striking out nine. In the end, despite the difference in their peripheral numbers, the game was tied 2-2 going into late innings. In the 8^th inning, Salt Lake City scratched out a run against John Church to put the Bees in the driver's seat. The 51s responded in the top of the 9^th by scratching out a run of their own. After a slew of defensive replacements designed to prevent runs, Kirk Nieuwenhuis walked, was moved over by Ruben Tejada and driven home by Lucas Duda, tying the game once more. After Eric Campbell walked, bases were left juiced for Matt den Dekker. The centerfielder laced a line drive into center field, clearing the bases. In total, the 51s scored four runs in the inning. Justin Hampson was left in the game to save it out- Robert Carson pitched two innings of middle relief, coming in after Montero was pulled- and he was successful.

• RF Kirk Nieuwenhuis: 0-4, R, BB, 4 K
• SS Ruben Tejada: 3-5, R
• 1B Lucas Duda: 2-5, 2 R, RBI
• 3B Zach Lutz: 2-5, 3 K
• CF Matt den Dekker: 3-4, R, 3 RBI
• C Juan Centeno: 1-4, K, RBI
• RHP Rafael Montero: 5 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, WP
• LHP Robert Carson: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• RHP John Church: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, WP

AA -Binghamton Mets (80-49)_____________________________________

BOWIE 4, BINGHAMTON 1 (Box)

Greg Peavey pitched fine, but his Baysox counterpart, Eduardo Rodriguez, was a bit better. The B-Mets offense could not figure out the Venezuelan lefty. They could manage only five hits off of him, managing to score a run in the 6^th, his last inning of work. Fortunately, that one run tied the game. The bullpen let the game get away- for as much as you can call a few runs "getting away". Ryan Fraser and Chase Huchingson gave up two runs over the last two innings, while the Baysox bullpen held on, and that was the ballgame.

• SS Danny Muno: 0-4, 2 K, E (12)
• 2B Josh Rodriguez: 1-3, R, 2B, BB
• RF Travis Taijeron: 0-3, BB, 2 K
• DH Cory Vaughn: 1-4
• 1B Allan Dykstra: 1-4, K, RBI
• CF Alonzo Harris: 0-3, 3 K
• RHP Greg Peavey: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

Hi-A -St. Lucie Mets (28-23 / 65-53)________________________________________

ST. LUCIE , PALM BEACH

SUSPENDED

Rainy Lara pitched, and then it rained, and the game was suspended. Alanis Morissette said that's ironic.

Lo-A -Savannah Sand Gnats(28-26 / 71-52)__________________________________

SAVANNAH 5, KANNAPOLIS 2 (Box)

Gabriel Ynoa's strikeout rate has taken a tumble of late, but the Dominican righty is still getting it done. Pitching seven solid innings last night, Ynoa notched his South Atlantic League-leading 14^th victory of the year. Savannah put up a five spot in the 7^th inning, giving Ynoa the offensive support he needed to qualify for the ‘W'. Brandon Nimmo and Jeff Reynolds had the big hits in the inning, both of them driving in two on fly balls to left off of Intimidator reliever Storm Throne. Beck Wheeler came in the 9^th, and he locked down the save, his 16^th with Savannah.

• CF Brandon Nimmo: 3-5, R, K, 2 RBI
• LF Maikis De La Cruz: 0-4, R, BB, 2 K, SB (14)
• 3B Cole Frenzel: 0-2, 3 BB, K, RBI
• RF Eudy Pina: 1-5, R, K
• DH Stefan Sabol: 0-5, 2 K
• SS Phil Evans: 0-3, R, BB, K, E (14)
• 2B Jeff Reynolds: 2-4, BB, 2 RBI
• RHP Gabriel Ynoa: 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• RHP Beck Wheeler: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Short-A - Brooklyn Cyclones (31-29)

STATEN ISLAND 0, BROOKLYN 2 (Box)

What's this? Brooklyn two games over .500? In a weird game all around, the Cyclones shut down their interboro rivals, despite being no-hit themselves. Yes, for six innings, Staten Island starter David Palladino no-hit the Cyclones. Brooklyn starter Dario Alvarez didn't allow any runs in his five innings of work, but his line is nowhere near as pretty- in addition to a handful of hits, he was all over the place, walking six batters, uncorking a wild pitch, and hitting a batter. Juan Urbina of all people was brought in to restore some order to the game- which he did with two strong innings of scoreless relief. In the bottom of the 7^th, Brooklyn got on the board with four consecutive singles. Paul Paez and Johnny Magliozzi were able to keep the Staten Island at bay in the game's late innings, completing the shutout.

• SS Gavin Cecchini: 0-4, K
• 2B L.J. Mazzilli: 0-3
• LF Jared King: 1-3, R
• 1B Matt Oberste: 1-3, 2 RBI
• LHP Dario Alvarez: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 6 BB, 6 K, WP, HB
• LHP Juan Urbina: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Rk - Kingsport Mets (32-25)_____________________________

BURLINGTON 0, KINGSPORT 1 (Box)

Chris Flexen was absolutely filthy. He gave up two singles, and walked a batter, and that was it. Kingsport scratched out a run in the 2^nd on an Amed Rosario, and though they wouldn't score again, they didn't need to with Flexen on the mound. Flexen went all nine innings for his first nine-inning complete game shutout.

• SS Amed Rosario: 2-3, 2B, RBI, SB (1)
• 2B Yeixon Ruiz: 1-4, SB (11)
• LF Joe Tuschak: 0-3
• CF Champ Stuart: 1-4, 2 K
• 3B Pedro Perez: 1-3, R, SB (3)
• RHP Chris Flexen: 9 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K

Rk - GCL Mets (17-35)_______________________________

GCL METS 13, GCL CARDINALS 10 / 12 (Box)

• SS Luis Guillorme: 3-7, 2 R, SB (5)
• 2B Branden Kaupe: 3-6, 2 R, BB, CS (1), 2 E (7, 8)
• 1B Dominic Smith: 1-4, R, K
• 3B Jhoan Urena: 3-3, 2 R, 2B, BB, 4 RBI, SB (4), CS (1), E (17)
• PH-3B Leon Canelon: 2-3, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI
• RF Wuilmer Becerra: 3-6, R, BB, K, 2 RBI, HR (1)
• CF Ivan Wilson: 0-4, R, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 SB (10, 11)
• RHP Casey Meisner: 5 IP, 5 H 2 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 5 K
• LHP Waldo Rodriguez: 2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• RHP Gaither Bumgardner: 2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

2013 Amazin' Avenue Mets Top 50 Prospect Rankings

den Dekker is hitting .324/.389/.559 since returning from injury (PHOTO CREDIT: Bryan Green)

Star of the Night

Last night's performance put an exclamation point on the already impressive body of work that Chris Flexen has put together for himself in 2013. At the same time, you can't ignore Matt den Dekker's clutch hit in the 9th inning that drove in the go-ahead and insurance runs for Las Vegas. As such, the two can share the Star of the Night honors.

Goat of the Night

There weren't really any high profile efforts in futility. I guess, by default, Kirk Nieuwenhuis is the goat because of his Golden Sombrero. John Church allowing the go-ahead run would have been enough to give him the horns, had the offense not bailed him out in the 9th.

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