Mets Daily Prospect Report: 4/20/15, Vegas rollin', everyone else smoked

*All results from games played on Sunday, April 19^th, 2015

Triple-A - Las Vegas 51's (6-5)_______________________________________

LAS VEGAS 10, FRESNO 5 (Box)

For the third straight game, the Las Vegas 51s racked up double-digit runs. The Grizzlies initially took the lead, scoring two runs in the top of the 2^nd, but the 51s tied it up with a run in the bottom of the inning thanks to a Brandon Allen home run and a Matt Reynolds RBI single in the bottom of the 3^rd. Rafael Montero threw 44 pitches through two plus innings, and was removed in the top of the 3^rd in favor of John Church, who gave up two hits but did not allow either to cross the plate. Steven Matz came in to pitch in the 4^th, and the left-hander went five innings, allowing a run on three hits and three walks, while striking out five.

The Vegas bats came alive in the 5^th, and the team scored three thanks to a two-run double off the bat of Dilson Herrera and an RBI triple by Darrell Ceciliani immediately after. In the 6^th, Vegas plated two more thanks to a Matt Reynolds double that came with bases loaded and cleared all the ducks on the pond. Fresno tried to mount a comeback, plating a run off of Matz in the 7^th and two more against Zach Thornton in the 9^th, the right-hander was able to shut the door without allowing further damage.

• 2B Dilson Herrera: 2-5, R, 2B, 2 RBI
• CF Darrell Ceciliani: 1-4, R, 3B, BB, RBI, E (1)
• DH Matt Reynolds: 3-5, R, 2B, K, 4 RBI
• 3B Alex Castellanos: 1-4, 2B, RBI, HBP
• 1B-C Johnny Monell: 1-5, R, K
• C Kevin Plawecki: 0-2, K; Because of the d'Arnaud injury, Plawecki was removed early and is en route to Queens
• PH-LF Cory Vaughn: 1-2, K
• LF-1B Brandon Allen: 1-3, HR (2), 2 RBI
• RF Travis Taijeron: 1-3, 2 R, 3B, BB
• SS Wilfredo Tovar: 2-3, 3 R, BB, K, 2 SB (2, 3)
• RHP Rafael Montero: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 3 K; Threw 44 pitches, the most he's thrown since April 10^th, when he threw 40
• RHP John Church: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 0 K
• LHP Steven Matz: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
• RHP Zach Thornton: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

Double-A - Binghamton Mets (6-5)_____________________________________

HARRISBURG 10, BINGHAMTON 2 (Box)

What was a fairly close game early on turned into a blowout in later innings, as the Senators took the rubber game of their weekend series with the B-Mets in convincing fashion. Starter John Gant, who was charged with his second loss of the season, pitched well enough in his five-plus innings of work. He had baserunners on all afternoon but limited their impact, allowing one run in the 2^nd and two in the 4^th.

Harrisburg starter Austin Voth kept Binghamton off the board in the early going- a play at the plate prevented Josh Rodriguez from scoring on a Xorge Carrillo groundball in the 2^nd- but the Mets finally scored in the 5^th thanks to a Jared King RBI single. Beck Wheeler prevented the Senators from scoring in the inning plus he was on the mound after he replaced John Gant in the 6^th, but lefties Dario Alvarez and Adam Kolarek had no such luck, allowing four and three runs, respectively. Binghamton was able to answer one of those runs, a Josh Rodriguez RBI double in the 8^th, but relievers Bryan Harper and Paul Demny otherwise kept the Binghamton bats quiet.

The B-Mets will continue their home stand, hosting the Erie SeaWolves for a three game set. Binghamton played Erie last week at Jerry Uht Park, and dropped two of three to the Tigers' Double-A affiliate. They will do so without the help (or lack thereof) of Domingo Tapia, who left the game on Saturday with elbow discomfort. The Dominican right-hander is heading to Florida for an MRI, and has been moved to the AA 7-day disabled list. Once considered an up-and-coming prospect, Tapia has a 43.20 ERA in 1.2 innings (3 appearances), having given up 5 hits and allowed 8 walks (an amusing 43.2 BB/9 rate with this small sample size), all while not recording a single strikeout. Given that he has been more wild than usual- only 31 of his 78 pitches thrown in the 2015 season were strikes- and his velocity is down- he has topped out at 93, as opposed to the high 90s- something is certainly wrong.

• RF Jared King: 1-4, R, BB, RBI
• CF Brandon Nimmo: 0-3, 2 K, HBP; Got hit in the left hand to lead off the 4^th. This is becoming a yearly thing, isn't it?
• LF Jayce Boyd: 0-4
• 1B Aderlin Rodriguez: 0-4, 2 K
• SS Josh Rodriguez: 3-4, 2B, RBI, SB (1), E (1)
• 3B Dustin Lawley: 0-4
• C Xorge Carrillo: 2-3, BB, PB
• 2B Jairo Perez: 1-4, R, 2 K, E (1); Filling in for T.J. Rivera and his injured hamstring
• PH Gilbert Gomez: 0-1
• PH Eudy Pina: 0-1, K
• RHP John Gant: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 4 K
• RHP Beck Wheeler: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 K
• LHP Dario Alvarez: 1 IP, 2 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 3 K
• LHP Adam Kolarek: 1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Advanced-A - St. Lucie Mets (6-5)_____________________________________

FORT MYERS 3, ST. LUCIE 2 / 11 (Box)

The St. Lucie Mets were 11-41 for the afternoon (.267) with a total of seven walks, but because of an inability to drive in men in scoring position, they dropped the rubber game of the series to the damn Fort Myers Miracle (I'm still sore about them edging out St. Lucie by one game in the first half of last season). The almost four hour game saw the Miracle take the first lead thanks to a Jhoan Urena error in the bottom of the 5^th. Michael Conforto, who is currently en fuego, would have none of it, and hit a ball over the right field wall to tie the game at one apiece. Matt Oberste tripled in the 8^th and was driven in by Maikis De La Cruz, giving the Mets an insurance run, but Robert Coles was unable to hold the lead in the bottom of the 9^th, and allowed a sac fly to tie the game. St. Lucie loaded the bases in the top of the 10^th with no outs, but Todd Van Steensel showed grission by striking out Colton Plaia, Victor Cruzado, and Champ Stuart back-to-back-to-back to get out of the inning unscathed. Kyle Regnault, who had a scoreless streak going to start his professional career, ran into trouble in the bottom of the 11^th. After getting the first out, Regnault allowed consecutive singles, putting men in the corners. After an intentional walk to load the bases, Ricky Knapp got the call from the pen. Pinch hitter Aderlin Mejia hit a groundball to short, allowing Jason Kanzler on third to score. With the walk off hit, Regnault's scoreless streak came to an end, as he was charged with the run.

• CF Champ Stuart: 0-5, 2 K
• 2B Jeff McNeil: 0-5
• LF Michael Conforto: 3-5, R, HR (4), BB, RBI; Mrs. Conforto's baby boy does it again and is now hitting .366/.460/.707
• 1B Matt Oberste: 2-6, R, 2B, 3B, 2 K
• DH Maikis De La Cruz: 4-5, BB, RBI, SB (1)
• SS Amed Rosario: 0-4, BB, K, SB (2), CS (2)
• 3B Jhoan Urena: 2-3, 2 BB, E (3)
• C Colton Plaia: 0-4, BB, 3 K, PB (3)
• RF Victor Cruzado: 0-4, BB, 3 K
• RHP Rob Whalen: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 2 HB, E (1)
• RHP Mike Hepple: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Robert Coles: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, HB
• LHP Kyle Regnault: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP Ricky Knapp: 0 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K

Low-A - Savannah Sand Gnats (3-6)__________________________________

CHARLESTON 8, SAVANNAH 3 / SUSPENDED 6 (Box)

It was a mostly even affair between Charleston and Savannah until the 6^th inning, when the floodgates opened, both literally and metaphorically. The Sand Gnats were up 3-1 when the inning began, but Josh Prevost and Gaither Bumgardner had a dreadful performance. The big man gave up three doubles, one single, and uncorked two wild pitches, while Bumgardner allowed a double, a single, hit a batter, and walked three. Carlos Valdez was called in to try to end the inning without further damage being done- bases were loaded- but before he could even throw a pitch, the men in blue decided to suspend the game. It is tentatively scheduled to be resumed on Thursday, when the Sand Gnats visit Joseph P Riley Jr. Ballpark for a four-game weekend series.

• CF John Mora: 1-3, RBI
• SS Jean Rodriguez: 0-2
• 1B Jon Leroux: 0-2, K
• DH Stefan Sabol: 0-1, R, BB
• C Tomas Nido: 1-2, R, K
• RF Wuilmer Becerra: 1-2, RBI
• LF Patrick Biondi: 0-1, K
• 3B Pedro Perez: 0-2, 2 K
• 2B Jonathan Johnson: 1-2, R, 2B
• RHP Josh Prevost: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 2 WP
• RHP Gaither Bumgardner: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, HB
• LHP Carlos Valdez: 0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 K

Star of the Night

Michael Conforto

Goat of the Night

Rickey Knapp