Mets Daily Prospect Report, 9/26/23: Erie draws first blood

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (33-41/28-44)

NO GAME (SEASON OVER)

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (35-34/35-25)

EASTERN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES, GAME ONE

BINGHAMTON 9, SOMERSET 2 (BOX)

EASTERN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES, GAME TWO

BINGHAMTON 2, SOMERSET 0 (BOX)

EASTERN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES, GAME ONE

ERIE 9, BINGHAMTON 6 (BOX)

The Rumble Ponies got off to a quick start, plating two runs in the bottom of the first and another in the bottom of the second. Blade Tidwell, meanwhile, was a bit shaky but solid, working in and out of trouble over the first few innings of the game and bending, but not breaking. In the fourth, thanks to a Jeremiah Jackson fielding error, Erie finally got a run across the plate, and in the fifth, Tidwell gave up a three-run home run to DH Jake Holton to make it a 4-3 ballgame. Tidwell was removed from the ballgame in the sixth in favor of Benito Garcia, but the Dominican right-hander did not fare much better. Garcia had a 15.1 scoreless streak going back to mid-August snapped, giving up two more runs in the sixth to make it a 6-3 ballgame.

While the Ponies were able to touch up Tigers pitching prospect Wilmer Flores, they struggled against left-handed reliever Lael Lockhart. The southpaw walked a few batters and gave up a few hits, but Binghamton wasn’t able to drive in any runs. That is, until the sixth. Rhylan Thomas singled and Jett Williams grinded out a walk in an excellent at-bat, bringing Drew Gilbert to the plate. The Mets’ top prospect tied the game with one swing, depositing a Lockhart offering 388 feet over the right field wall, over the roof of the indoor batting tunnel, 103 MPH off bat.

In the seventh, Joander Suarez was brought into the game in relief. The right-hander had his 24 inning scoreless streak snapped when Eliezer Alfonzo dunked a double down the left field line to bring home a run and give Erie a 7-6 lead. Wilkin Ramos allowed two more runs to score in the top of the ninth, and down by three with just three outs to work with, Binghamton wasn’t up to the task.

• 2B Luisangel Acuna: 2-5, R, K
• SS Jett Williams: 0-1, 2 R, 4 BB, CS (1)
• CF Drew Gilbert: 2-5, R, HR (1), 3 RBI
• C Kevin Parada: 3-5, RBI, 2 K
• 1B JT Schwartz: 0-5, RBI, K
• 3B Jeremiah Jackson: 0-4, K, E (1)
• RF Rowdey Jordan: 2-4, R, 2B, K
• DH Mateo Gil: 0-3, BB, 3 K
• LF Rhylan Thomas: 2-4, R, 2B, RBI, K
• HRP Blade Tidwell: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
• RHP Benito Garcia: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• RHP Joander Suarez: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Trey McLoughlin: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Wilkin Ramos: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• RHP Junior Santos: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (27-37/38-28)

NO GAME (SEASON OVER)

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (24-41/20-43)

NO GAME (SEASON OVER)

Rookie: FCL Mets (32-18)

NO GAME (SEASON OVER)

Star of the Night

Drew Gilbert

Goat of the Night

Wilkin Ramos