Mets Daily Farm Report - 5/8/13: Mets wish they could hit like a Low/High-A team

*All results from games played on Tuesday, May 7^th, 2013*

AAA - Las Vegas 51s (15-15)__________________________________

ROUND ROCK 2, LAS VEGAS 3 (Box)

This is the PCL, the league where balls fly like eagles and runs score like a 17-year-old with his dad's Corvette on prom night, right? Well, last night in Las Vegas, we were treated to a pitcher's duel. Collin McHugh dazzled for seven innings, continuing his run of success in AAA this season. The right-hander did not allow a run, scattering five hits, allowing no walks, and striking out five. Express pitching was just as stingy, allowing only one hit through the game's first seven innings. The one hit? A Josh Satin home run in the 1^st inning. It looked as if that was going to be the ballgame until the top of the 8^th inning, when Gonzalez Germen and Justin Hampson relieved McHugh. On a pair of singles and a sac bunt, the Express tied the game. Just like that. In the bottom of the inning, Round Rock brought in major league veteran and former Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star Evan Meek. Meek allowed a walk to Eric Campbell, and immediately paid for it- Campbell stole second base, and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Eric Campbell. Juan Centeno stroked a line drive to right field and knocked Campbell in, doubling the 51s' lead. If this is the part where you were waiting for me to say that Las Vegas won, and everyone lived happily ever after, I am sorry to disappoint. In the top of the 9^th, Greg Burke was brought in to close out the game, and he unfortunately blew the save. After striking out his first batter, he gave up a single and a double, allowing a run. And so, at 12:45 PM EST, into the bottom of the 9^th we went. Reese Havens started things off with a single, and a Satin groundout moved him over to second. Brian Bixler pinch ran for Havens as Zach Lutz came to the plate. The fragile infielder struck out swinging, with Express catcher Robinson Chirinos needing to throw to first baseman Chris McGuiness to complete the play. But, what's this? That zany Brian Bixler scored from second on the put out? It was one of those kinds of games, folks- and, yes, I want to see the video of that play too.

• CF Collin Cowgill: 0-4, K
• 2B Reese Havens: 1-4
• 1B Josh Satin: 1-3, R, RBI, HR (5)
• 3B Zach Lutz: 0-4, 3 K
• DH Wilmer Flores: 0-2, BB, CS (2)
• SS Omar Quintanilla: 0-3
• LF Eric Campbell: 0-0, R, 3 BB, SB (1)
• C Juan Centeno: 1-3, K, RBI
• RHP Collin McHugh: 7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
• RHP Greg Burke: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

AA - Binghamton Mets (16-16)_____________________________________

BINGHAMTON 1, TRENTON 5 (Box)

Cesar Puello hit his second home run of the year, extending his hitting streak to 14 games, the longest such streak in all of AA and one hit shy of the streak he had in 2010 with the Savannah Sand Gnats, but Binghamton was otherwise kept silent by the Trenton Thunder at Arm & Hammer Park, and went down punchless in the night 5-1. Rafael Montero took the hill for the B-Mets, and was dominant for most of his six plus innings. He ran into some trouble in the bottom of the 7^th, walking the first batter in the inning and allowing consecutive singles to score two. Just like that, despite scattering three hits and two walks over his six plus innings, and striking out eight batters- tying the season high he set earlier in the year- he was on the losing side of the pitching ledger. Josh Edgin didn't help things by allowing an inherited runner charged to Montero to score, and two of his own

• CF Alonzo Harris: 0-3, BB, 3 K
• LF Darrell Ceciliani: 0-4, K
• RF Cesar Puello: 1-4, R, K, RBI, HR (2)
• C Francisco Pena: 0-2, K
• 2B Danny Muno: 1-3
• SS Wilfredo Tovar: 0-3, K
• RHP Rafael Montero: 6.1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
• LHP Josh Edgin: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

Hi-A - St. Lucie Mets (20-11)________________________________________

DAYTONA 3, ST. LUCIE 13 (Box)

For four innings, this eventual shellacking was actually a 0-0 pitcher's duel. An Aderlin Rodriguez double was all Cubs starter Ben Wells allowed through the first four plus innings. In the bottom of the 4^th, after retiring the first batter in the inning, Dustin Lawley homered to left, and the wheels fell off for Wells. Travis Taijeron hit a homer one batter later, and when the dust settled, three runs scored. Daytona started to claw back in the top of the 5^th, as newly promoted Matthew Bowman allowed a single and pair of doubles for two runs, but the St. Lucie offense would have none of it. Specifically, Aderlin would have none of it, as he knocked his fifth home run of the season into the left field stands. Bowman would pitch one more inning, and give up one more run, a solo home run to top prospect Javier Baez. All in all, he had a good night, allowing three runs over six innings, giving up six hits, a walk, and a balk and striking out seven. In the 7^th inning, the St. Lucie offense went to town, and turned the game into a slaughter fest, scoring eight runs. Daytona reliever Starling Peralta was particularly bad, allowing five earned runs while recording only one out- he hit his first batter, allowed a double, threw two consecutive wild pitches (the second scored a run), walked a batter, induced a pop-up, and walked another batter, leaving the bases juiced before he was removed. Daytona went quietly into the night after that demoralizing inning, and St. Lucie notched their 20^th win in their relatively young season.

• 2B T.J. Rivera: 1-4, 2 R, HBP
• SS Matt Reynolds: 1-5, R, 2B, 2 K, RBI
• 3B Aderlin Rodriguez: 2-5, R, 2B, 2 RBI, HR (5)
• LF Dustin Lawley: 2-4, 3 R, BB, RBI, HR (6)
• DH Travis Taijeron: 2-5, 2 R, K, RBI, HR (3)
• RF Charley Thurber: 2-4, R, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI
• C Albert Cordero: 0-3, BB
• RHP Matthew Bowman: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 7 K, HR, BLK

Lo-A - Savannah Sand Gnats (19-11)__________________________________

SAVANNAH 9, HICKORY 6 (Box)

After Hickory smoked Savannah two days ago, the Sand Gnats got a win back against the Crawdads, winning 9-6 in an impromptu home run derby that saw the two teams hit a combined eight home runs. With the win, the two teams split their four game set. Gabriel Ynoa took the hill for Savannah, and though he got the win, he did not have his best stuff. At all. In five innings, he gave up five runs, but more importantly, he gave up four home runs, a season high for Hickory (hitting them) and Savannah (giving them up). Centerfielder Lewis Brinson and second baseman Ryan Rua both went yard, and top prospect Jorge Alfaro cleared the fences twice. Crawdads starter Kelvin Vasquez was just as ineffective as Ynoa- or, rather, effective at giving up the long ball. He, himself, gave up two home runs- Eudy Pina led off the game with a home run, and he once again went yard when he came to bat in the third inning. The relievers on both teams were just as prone to giving up home runs as well- Hickory reliever Josh McElwee gave up a two-run shot to Phillip Evans in the 7^th and Beck Wheeler gave up a solo shot to Crawdads right fielder Jordan Akins to start the 8^th inning.

• CF Eudy Pina: 3-5, 2 R, 2B, K, 4 RBI, 2 HR (2,3)
• 1B Jayce Boyd: 1-3, 2 BB, K
• C Kevin Plawecki: 1-3, RBI, HBP
• SS Phil Evans: 3-4, 4 R, BB, 2 RBI, HR (1)
• RHP Gabriel Ynoa: 5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 4 HR
• RHP Julian Hilario: 1 IP, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, HBP

2013 Amazin' Avenue Mets Top 50 Prospect Rankings

22-year-old Eudy Pina is currently batting .265/.374/.439 through 28 games for Savannah. Photo Credit: Bryan Green

Star of the Night

There were a few standout performances last night between Aderlin Rodriguez, Eudy Pina, Phillip Evans, etc, so this was a bit of a toughie. I think I'll be a little sentimental and give the award to Matthew Bowman, who pitched in his first High-A game and demonstrated that he belongs. Sure, he gave up six hits in six innings, allowed three runs, walked a batter, and balked, but the 21-year-old righty held his own, striking out seven, and turning in a strong performance.

Goat of the Night

Josh Edgin is going to wear the horns for his performance last night. Not only did he allow two earned runs in less than two innings, but he also allowed an inherited runner to score, inflating not only his ERA, but Rafael Montero's as well.