Mets Daily Farm Report, May 15, 2014: Dario Alvarez in the driver’s seat

*All results from games played on Wednesday, May 14^th, 2014

Triple-A - Las Vegas 51's (28-11)_______________________________________

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

Double-A - Binghamton Mets (19-16)_____________________________________

ALTOONA 3, BINGHAMTON 5 (Box)

Last week, Greg Peavey was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week because of his complete game shutout against New Hampshire, in which he struck out six and walked none. Last night, the Greg Peavey pitching experience continued, as the right-hander pitched seven strong innings, allowing three runs, two earned. Binghamton was playing from behind early on, as the Curve scored a run apiece in the 2^nd and 3^rd innings, but the Mets got on the board with a run in the 4^th and then took the lead with a big three run 5^th. Singles by Cory Vaughn, Wilfredo Tovar, and Kyle Johnson plated the first run of the inning, and a Matt Clark double drove in the next two. A Matt Reynolds error allowed Altoona to score a run in the top of the 6^th, making it a 4-3 ballgame, but the B-Mets scored an insurance run in the 7^th to give themselves a little breathing room. Adam Kolarek pitched a clean 8^th and Chase Bradford pitched a flawless 9^th to earn his eight save and to lock up the victory. They'll finish up the series tomorrow night, on "One Hit Wonder Night". Lefty Darin Gorski will take the mound for Binghamton, and if all goes well, he will allow one hit or fewer, himself.

• CF Kyle Johnson: 2-3, R, BB, 2 RBI, SB (3), CS (3)
• 3B Brian Burgamy: 0-4, 3 K
• SS Matt Reynolds: 1-4, R, 2B, K, E (5)
• 1B Matt Clark: 2-4, 2 2B, K, RBI, SB (1)
• C Kevin Plawecki: 0-3, RBI
• LF Dustin Lawley: 0-3
• RF Cory Vaughn: 1-3, R, K
• 2B Wilfredo Tovar: 1-2, 2 R, BB, K, SB (4)
• PH Darrell Ceciliani: 0-1
• RHP Greg Peavey: 7 IP, 7 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 9 K, WP
• LHP Adam Kolarek: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K
• RHP Chase Bradford: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K, SV (8)

Advanced-A - St. Lucie Mets (22-17)________________________________________

TAMPA 7, ST. LUCIE 1 (Box)

Tampa once again scored seven runs to beat St. Lucie, and once again a Mets reliever couldn't get out of his own way in late innings, but at least this loss wasn't as heartbreaking as the one on Tuesday night. Michael Fulmer turned in another decent start, and outside of two blips in April, the right-hander has been fairly this solid. Both of the runs he allowed came in the top of the 4^th, but the Mets came right back in the bottom of the inning to score a run and stay in the game. The Yankees scored another run in the 6^th, this time off of Paul Sewald, but with a score of 3-1, it was still very much anyone's game. That, of course, changed in the top of the 8^th, when Jake Kuebler came in to pitch. He allowed a home run to Jake Cave, a triple to Cito Culver, a double to Dante Bichette Jr., and walked Trent Garrison and Eric Jagielo, and in the blink of an eye, Tampa was up 7-1. Kyle Haynes pitched the last two innings, relieving starter Dan Camarena, and shut St. Lucie down to hand them their seventeenth loss on the season. With Domingo Tapia on the mound tonight, they'll try to salvage the series with a split.

• SS Dilson Herrera: 0-4, K
• DH Brandon Nimmo: 1-4, R, 3B, K
• 2B T.J. Rivera: 2-4, 2B, RBI
• 3B Jairo Perez: 0-4, K
• C Cam Maron: 1-4
• 1B Aderlin Rodriguez: 0-4
• CF Gilbert Gomez: 0-2, BB, K, SB (4)
• RF Eudy Pina: 0-2, BB, K
• LF Maikis De La Cruz: 0-3, K
• RHP Michael Fulmer: 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K
• RHP Paul Sewald: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
• RHP Jake Kuebler: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, HR
• RHP Hunter Carnevale: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K

Low-A - Savannah Sand Gnats (27-11)__________________________________

GAME ONE

GREENVILLE 4, SAVANNAH 5 (Box)

This game was suspended on Saturday, April 19^th that was resumed yesterday. The game began tied 3-3 in the 6^th inning.

The Sand Gnats wasted little time, scoring a run in the bottom of the inning, but the Drive immediately got the run back in the 7^th, keeping the game tied. After Patrick Biondi was called out on strikes, Gavin Cecchini scored a Jose Reyes run, hitting a single, stealing second, and getting driven home by L.J. Mazzilli on a ground ball up the middle. John Mincone pitched the 9^th, sandwiching a strikeout between two weak ground balls to second base to earn his first save of the season. With the win, Savannah and Greenville have won a game each for that 4/17 to 4/19 series. The rubber game, suspended from Friday, April 18^th, will be played tonight and will determine who retroactively won the series.

• SS Gavin Cecchini: 1-4, R, BB, SB (5)
• 3B Jeff McNeil: 3-5, 2B, 3 RBI
• 2B L.J. Mazzilli: 2-5, R, RBI, SB (4)
• DH Jared King: 0-2, BB, K, CS (2)
• DH-PH Dom Smith: 0-2
• LF Stefan Sabol: 0-3, BB, 2 K
• RF Victor Cruzado: 0-2, 2 BB, K, RBI
• 1B Matt Oberste: 1-3, BB, SB (1)
• C Jeff Glenn: 2-4, 2 R, 2B, K, PB (1)
• CF Patrick Biondi: 2-4, R, K, SB (10)
• RHP John Gant: 5 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, WP, HB
• RHP Tim Peterson: 3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• RHP John Mincone: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K, SV (1)

GAME TWO

GREENVILLE 1, SAVANNAH 6 (Box)

Dario Alvarez needed 77 pitches to get through five innings, but the high pitch count was acceptable because the Sand Gnats gave him a four run bulge in the 1^st...and because he struck out 12 batters. Yes, the older southpaw struck out a career high twelve en route to his second win in as many starts. Savannah nearly batted around in the 1^st, sending nine men to the plate. After Patrick Biondi walked, Gavin Cecchini got on base thanks to a centerfielder Manuel Margot error. Jeff McNeil drove both men on with a single and advanced to second thanks to another Margot error. After stealing third, McNeil was driven in by a L.J. Mazzilli double. Drive starter Daniel McGrath uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Little Maz to advance to third, and Dom Smith took the opportunity to get him a rib eye steak by hitting a line drive into left, scoring the runner. The Sand Gnats scored two more in the 3^rd, on a Cecchini line drive double into center, with bases loaded. The Drive broke the shutout in the 7^th, after Jimmy Rider tripled and Forrestt Allday drove him in, but that lone run was the only run they were able to score the entire game with the way Alvarez and the BP were throwing.

But, back to Alvarez for a moment. The 25-year-old Dominican struck out seven batters swinging, and got five batters looking. He allowed a single in the 2^nd inning, but otherwise struck out the side, and accomplished the feat once again in the 5^th, this time cleanly. It would've been interesting to see what might've happened if he had more gas, and was able to stay in the game for another inning or two, to see how many strikeouts he might be able to tally. Dawrin Frias, who relieved Alvarez, wasn't too shabby in that regard himself, striking out five batters in an inning plus.

Savannah and Greenville will play two today at Historic Grayson. Miller Diaz will be pitching for Savannah in game one, opposing right-hander Jamie Callahan.

• CF Patrick Biondi: 0-2, R, 3 BB, K
• SS Gavin Cecchini: 2-5, R, 2 RBI, SB (6)
• 3B Jeff McNeil: 1-5, R, K, RBI, SB (8)
• LF Stefan Sabol: 0-3, BB, 2 K
• 2B L.J. Mazzilli: 1-4, R, 2B, E (8)
• 1B Dom Smith: 1-4, RBI
• RF Victor Cruzado: 1-4, R, K
• DH Jonathan Leroux: 1-2, R, 2 BB
• C Colton Plaia: 1-4, 2B,
• LHP Dario Alvarez: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 12 K, BLK
• RHP Dawrin Frias: 1.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
• RHP Tyler Vanderheiden: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K, HB, SV (1)

Star of the Night

We actually had a few strong pitching performances last night, and in a vacuum, any of them could reasonably be awarded the SotN. But, fair being fair, Dario Alvarez's was the most impressive of the bunch, so he gets to be the Star of the Night.

Goat of the Night

Once again, one of St. Lucie's relievers is our Goat of the Night. This time, it's Jake Kuebler.