New York Mets: Wally Backman
INDIANAPOLIS 6, BUFFALO 3: Buffalo committed three costly errors in the finale and 12 in the four-game series. With Jeff Clement batting in the first inning, Chris Schwinden threw a wild pitch to score ex-Met Anderson Hernandez. In an attempt to throw out Hernandez, catcher Jean Luc Blaquiere's throw was offline to Schwinden at the plate, allowing Alex Presley also to score. With the Bisons behind 3-0 in the third, Starling Marte led off with a single. With Hernandez at the plate, Marte stole second and Blaquiere's throw sailed into center. The error would set up Hernandez to single home Marte and make it 4-0. "I'm hoping this off-day tomorrow will help us get it together mentally and physically," manager Wally Backman said. "A couple of our guys have been banged up so they need the rest." With the bases loaded an none out in the fourth, the Herd plated a pair with RBI groundouts by Omar Quintanilla and Blaquiere. With the bases loaded in the seventh, Matt Tuiasosopo hit an infield single to score Corey Wimberly and cut the Indians' lead to 4-3. But Brad Emaus grounded into a forceout to end the inning. Box
NEW BRITAIN 3, BINGHAMTON 0: The Rock Cats packed all of their offense into the seventh inning while handing Binghamton its sixth shutout loss. The starters -- Binghamton's Collin McHugh and Logan Darnell -- matched zeroes through the first six innings. McHugh's start took a turn for the worse in the seventh. The righty had his stretch of 13 straight scoreless innings snapped on his first pitch of the inning, when Rock Cats right fielder Evan Bigley ripped a homer. McHugh then hit Nate Hanson with his next pitch. Plate umpire Joey Amaral ejected McHugh and the B-Mets were forced to summon Brad Holt from the bullpen. The Rock Cats greeted Holt with two bunt singles to load the bases. Chris Herrmann extended New Britain's lead with a two-run double -- his fourth hit of the game and eighth of the series. The Rock Cats appeared to score their fourth run of the inning on sac fly by Deibinson Romero, but runner Estarlin De Los Santos was ruled out on appeal for leaving third early. Trailing 3-0, the B-Mets threatened in the eighth against reliever Luis Perdomo. Singles by Josh Rodriguez and Eric Campbell and a walk to Jefry Marte loaded the bases. The veteran righty escaped harm by inducing Raul Reyes to fly out to end the inning. Bobby Lanigan pitched the ninth and navigated around a one-out walk to collect his third save. McHugh (4-3) was saddled with the loss. The B-Mets (21-22) continue their series against the Rock Cats on Wednesday at 12:05 p.m. Zack Wheeler opposes right-hander David Bromberg. Box
DAYTONA 6, ST. LUCIE 5 (10 innings): John Church issued a leadoff walk to Matthew Szczur, who ultimately scored the winning run in the bottom of the 10th on Richard Jones' single. Starter Cory Mazzoni allowed three runs in five innings. Left-hander Jack Leathersich was charged with two runs in 2 2/3 in his Florida State League debut. Richard Lucas had two RBIs. Box
SAVANNAH 5, CHARLESTON 3: Trailing 3-2 heading to the bottom of the eighth, T.J. Rivera and Aderlin Rodriguez drew walks, placing the tying and go-ahead runs on base. With two outs, Brian Harrison, who has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games, roped a single to drive in Rivera with the tying run. Charley Thurber followed by ripping a triple to score Rodriguez and Harrison for the decisive two-run margin. Thurber, who finished 2-for-3 with a double, triple and walk, also was responsible for the first Gnats run of the night. In the second, he doubled, advanced to third on center fielder Mason Williams' fielding error and scored on a wild pitch to put the Gnats in front 1-0. In the fourth, Rodriguez lined an RBI single to drive in Rivera for a 2-0 lead. The RiverDogs bounced back to take the lead with a three-run sixth against Savannah reliever Randy Fontanez. Savannah reliever Chasen Bradford worked scoreless seventh and eighth innings with two strikeouts for his first Savannah win. T.J. Chism set down the 'Dogs 1-2-3 in the ninth to earn his sixth save. Savannah starter Alex Panteliodis fought his way through four innings and allowed five hits and three walks, but no runs. Box
Compiled from team reports
NEW BRITAIN 3, BINGHAMTON 0: The Rock Cats packed all of their offense into the seventh inning while handing Binghamton its sixth shutout loss. The starters -- Binghamton's Collin McHugh and Logan Darnell -- matched zeroes through the first six innings. McHugh's start took a turn for the worse in the seventh. The righty had his stretch of 13 straight scoreless innings snapped on his first pitch of the inning, when Rock Cats right fielder Evan Bigley ripped a homer. McHugh then hit Nate Hanson with his next pitch. Plate umpire Joey Amaral ejected McHugh and the B-Mets were forced to summon Brad Holt from the bullpen. The Rock Cats greeted Holt with two bunt singles to load the bases. Chris Herrmann extended New Britain's lead with a two-run double -- his fourth hit of the game and eighth of the series. The Rock Cats appeared to score their fourth run of the inning on sac fly by Deibinson Romero, but runner Estarlin De Los Santos was ruled out on appeal for leaving third early. Trailing 3-0, the B-Mets threatened in the eighth against reliever Luis Perdomo. Singles by Josh Rodriguez and Eric Campbell and a walk to Jefry Marte loaded the bases. The veteran righty escaped harm by inducing Raul Reyes to fly out to end the inning. Bobby Lanigan pitched the ninth and navigated around a one-out walk to collect his third save. McHugh (4-3) was saddled with the loss. The B-Mets (21-22) continue their series against the Rock Cats on Wednesday at 12:05 p.m. Zack Wheeler opposes right-hander David Bromberg. Box
DAYTONA 6, ST. LUCIE 5 (10 innings): John Church issued a leadoff walk to Matthew Szczur, who ultimately scored the winning run in the bottom of the 10th on Richard Jones' single. Starter Cory Mazzoni allowed three runs in five innings. Left-hander Jack Leathersich was charged with two runs in 2 2/3 in his Florida State League debut. Richard Lucas had two RBIs. Box
SAVANNAH 5, CHARLESTON 3: Trailing 3-2 heading to the bottom of the eighth, T.J. Rivera and Aderlin Rodriguez drew walks, placing the tying and go-ahead runs on base. With two outs, Brian Harrison, who has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games, roped a single to drive in Rivera with the tying run. Charley Thurber followed by ripping a triple to score Rodriguez and Harrison for the decisive two-run margin. Thurber, who finished 2-for-3 with a double, triple and walk, also was responsible for the first Gnats run of the night. In the second, he doubled, advanced to third on center fielder Mason Williams' fielding error and scored on a wild pitch to put the Gnats in front 1-0. In the fourth, Rodriguez lined an RBI single to drive in Rivera for a 2-0 lead. The RiverDogs bounced back to take the lead with a three-run sixth against Savannah reliever Randy Fontanez. Savannah reliever Chasen Bradford worked scoreless seventh and eighth innings with two strikeouts for his first Savannah win. T.J. Chism set down the 'Dogs 1-2-3 in the ninth to earn his sixth save. Savannah starter Alex Panteliodis fought his way through four innings and allowed five hits and three walks, but no runs. Box
Compiled from team reports
INDIANAPOLIS 4, BUFFALO 1: The Herd, which had a four-game winning streak snapped, scored its lone run against Rick VandenHurk in the first inning, when Corey Wimberly successfully had a delayed straight steal of home with Valentino Pascucci batting. "I basically told Corey, 'If you think you can steal home, go for it,'" manager Wally Backman said. "It was a success due to the position of the third baseman." It is the first time a Bison has stolen home since Chris Clapinski on May 16, 2004 at Columbus. Said Wimberley: "I told Wally if the pitcher lobs the ball back, I'm going home. I caught them sleeping, so I went for it." Jack Egbert, who started in place of Jeremy Hefner, who was called up to the Mets, allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits in two innings. In relief of Egbert, Chuck James tossed three scoreless innings. Backman was ejected in the third inning for arguing a caught stealing call by the third base umpire. The Bisons activated reliever Jeff Stevens and welcomed Edgar Ramirez to the club's roster. In his first Triple-A action since 2009, Ramirez allowed two runs (one earned) in three innings. Chris Schwinden was recalled by the Mets. Infielder Michael Fisher was demoted to Double-A Binghamton. Box
BINGHAMTON 11, PORTLAND 7: The B-Mets collected 12 hits and scored in all but one inning. The rubber-game victory secured Binghamton’s third straight series win and kicked their record above .500 for the first time in May. Binghamton grabbed the lead three batters into the game against Sea Dogs starter Chris Balcom-Miller. Matt den Dekker extended his hitting streak to a career-best 15 games with an infield single. After advancing to second on a throwing error by third baseman Kolbrin Vitek, the first of four errors for Portland, den Dekker moved to third on a sac bunt and scored on Reese Havens’ groundout. The B-Mets added two runs in the second, when Juan Lagares scored on a wild pitch and Pedro Zapata supplied a sac fly. Raul Reyes lashed an RBI double in the third and den Dekker drove in a run with a single in the fourth, Balcom-Miller’s final inning. The righty was tagged for five runs (three earned) on four hits and walked five in four innings. Binghamton kept the offense rolling against reliever Jeremy Kehrt. Lagares ripped an RBI double in the fifth and Sean Kazmar drove in two with a double in the sixth. Kazmar scored later in the three-run inning on a fielding error by Reynaldo Rodriguez at first. The frame gave Binghamton a 9-2 lead. Portland's Jeremy Hazelbaker got the Sea Dogs on the board in third with a solo homer against starter Greg Peavey and Derrik Gibson added a sac fly in the fourth. Down by seven in the sixth, Portland chased Peavey by getting the first four to reach safely. Ronald Bermudez’s RBI single with the bases loaded ended Peavey’s day. The righty allowed three runs on eight hits over five innings. With the bases loaded and no outs, Kevin Mulvey entered and induced Gibson to bounce back to the mound, starting a double play. Heiker Meneses struck out to end the threat. The seventh was not as smooth for Mulvey. He walked one and hit a batter before serving up a three-run homer to Rodriguez, cutting Binghamton’s lead to three. Jeff Kaplan took over and allowed the first four he faced to reach safely. Gibson ripped an RBI single to center with the bases loaded to make it 9-7. However, Kaplan retired the next two batters to end the inning. He posted a perfect eighth. The B-Mets added runs in the eighth and ninth, highlighted by Jefry Marte's solo homer. Adrian Rosario navigated around two walks to post a scoreless ninth. Peavey (3-1) snapped a five-start winless streak. Box
LAKELAND 2, ST. LUCIE 1: Ryan Fraser allowed two runs on five hits in 1 2/3 innings of relief to get tagged with the loss. Starter Angel Cuan limited Lakeland to one hit and two walks while striking out three in 6 1/3 scoreless innings. St. Lucie mustered three hits. The lone run came in the sixth when Cory Vaughn, Richard Lucas and Blake Forsythe all walked, and Vaughn scored on a subsequent Lakeland error. Box
SAVANNAH 5, AUGUSTA 3: Savannah had a comfortable 5-0 lead heading to the ninth, but the GreenJackets scored three times and had the tying run at second with two outs when reliever T.J. Chism induced a comebacker to end the game. The Gnats lost the first two games of the series, each by one run, while stranding the tying run at second. On Sunday, Savannah scored the game’s opening run in the second. Dustin Lawley walked and scored on Brian Harrison’s RBI double over the head of center fielder Carlos Willoughby. Savannah added two runs apiece in the sixth and seventh innings. Lawley began the sixth by lining a homer just to the right side of the batter’s eye. Travis Taijeron followed with a triple up the right-center gap and came home on Aderlin Rodriguez’s hustle double on a pop fly into shallow center to put the Gnats up 3-0. T.J. Rivera added a two-run homer in the seventh. In the ninth, making his first Savannah appearance, reliever Randy Fontanez walked two batters and hit one to load the bases. A sacrifice fly trimmed the Gnats’ lead to 5-1. A single reloaded the bases and chased Fontanez. With the tying run at the plate, Chism struck out pinch-hitter Kelby Tomlinson. However, Willoughby dumped a double down the left-field line to drive in two. He raced to second as the tying run. Chism then induced a chopper back to the mound to end the threat and game. Gnats starter Rafael Montero allowed one infield hit in six innings. He faced one over the minimum through five innings. Box
Compiled from team reports
BINGHAMTON 11, PORTLAND 7: The B-Mets collected 12 hits and scored in all but one inning. The rubber-game victory secured Binghamton’s third straight series win and kicked their record above .500 for the first time in May. Binghamton grabbed the lead three batters into the game against Sea Dogs starter Chris Balcom-Miller. Matt den Dekker extended his hitting streak to a career-best 15 games with an infield single. After advancing to second on a throwing error by third baseman Kolbrin Vitek, the first of four errors for Portland, den Dekker moved to third on a sac bunt and scored on Reese Havens’ groundout. The B-Mets added two runs in the second, when Juan Lagares scored on a wild pitch and Pedro Zapata supplied a sac fly. Raul Reyes lashed an RBI double in the third and den Dekker drove in a run with a single in the fourth, Balcom-Miller’s final inning. The righty was tagged for five runs (three earned) on four hits and walked five in four innings. Binghamton kept the offense rolling against reliever Jeremy Kehrt. Lagares ripped an RBI double in the fifth and Sean Kazmar drove in two with a double in the sixth. Kazmar scored later in the three-run inning on a fielding error by Reynaldo Rodriguez at first. The frame gave Binghamton a 9-2 lead. Portland's Jeremy Hazelbaker got the Sea Dogs on the board in third with a solo homer against starter Greg Peavey and Derrik Gibson added a sac fly in the fourth. Down by seven in the sixth, Portland chased Peavey by getting the first four to reach safely. Ronald Bermudez’s RBI single with the bases loaded ended Peavey’s day. The righty allowed three runs on eight hits over five innings. With the bases loaded and no outs, Kevin Mulvey entered and induced Gibson to bounce back to the mound, starting a double play. Heiker Meneses struck out to end the threat. The seventh was not as smooth for Mulvey. He walked one and hit a batter before serving up a three-run homer to Rodriguez, cutting Binghamton’s lead to three. Jeff Kaplan took over and allowed the first four he faced to reach safely. Gibson ripped an RBI single to center with the bases loaded to make it 9-7. However, Kaplan retired the next two batters to end the inning. He posted a perfect eighth. The B-Mets added runs in the eighth and ninth, highlighted by Jefry Marte's solo homer. Adrian Rosario navigated around two walks to post a scoreless ninth. Peavey (3-1) snapped a five-start winless streak. Box
LAKELAND 2, ST. LUCIE 1: Ryan Fraser allowed two runs on five hits in 1 2/3 innings of relief to get tagged with the loss. Starter Angel Cuan limited Lakeland to one hit and two walks while striking out three in 6 1/3 scoreless innings. St. Lucie mustered three hits. The lone run came in the sixth when Cory Vaughn, Richard Lucas and Blake Forsythe all walked, and Vaughn scored on a subsequent Lakeland error. Box
SAVANNAH 5, AUGUSTA 3: Savannah had a comfortable 5-0 lead heading to the ninth, but the GreenJackets scored three times and had the tying run at second with two outs when reliever T.J. Chism induced a comebacker to end the game. The Gnats lost the first two games of the series, each by one run, while stranding the tying run at second. On Sunday, Savannah scored the game’s opening run in the second. Dustin Lawley walked and scored on Brian Harrison’s RBI double over the head of center fielder Carlos Willoughby. Savannah added two runs apiece in the sixth and seventh innings. Lawley began the sixth by lining a homer just to the right side of the batter’s eye. Travis Taijeron followed with a triple up the right-center gap and came home on Aderlin Rodriguez’s hustle double on a pop fly into shallow center to put the Gnats up 3-0. T.J. Rivera added a two-run homer in the seventh. In the ninth, making his first Savannah appearance, reliever Randy Fontanez walked two batters and hit one to load the bases. A sacrifice fly trimmed the Gnats’ lead to 5-1. A single reloaded the bases and chased Fontanez. With the tying run at the plate, Chism struck out pinch-hitter Kelby Tomlinson. However, Willoughby dumped a double down the left-field line to drive in two. He raced to second as the tying run. Chism then induced a chopper back to the mound to end the threat and game. Gnats starter Rafael Montero allowed one infield hit in six innings. He faced one over the minimum through five innings. Box
Compiled from team reports
BUFFALO 5, GWINNETT 3: Slugger Valentino Pascucci and 2010 first-round pick Matt Harvey fueled the Bisons' win. Harvey got off to a shaky start, allowing back-to-back homers to Stefan Gartrell and Ernesto Mejia for a 2-0 first-inning deficit. Harvey then began a rally with his bat. In the third, he singled and Corey Wimberly walked. Fred Lewis then also singled to load the bases. A double-play groundout by Vinny Rottino forced in a run. Pascucci then homered off Braves starter Yohan Flande to give the Bisons a 3-2 lead. Rottino went 0-for-5 to lose a 20-game hitting streak. Harvey is now 4-for-10 at the plate this season. In the fifth, with the scored even at 3, Pascucci repeated his impressive strength with a two-run shot. Harvey settled down the rest of the game to strike out a season-high 11 batters. "Striking out batters is definitely a strength for Matt," manager Wally Backman said. The last time a Bisons starter struck out 11 was former Bisons and current Mets pitcher Dillon Gee on Aug. 28, 2010. Pascucci's two homers give him 48 as a Bison, putting him in sole possession of seventh place on the Herd's all-time home run list, passing Ernie Young. Box
PORTLAND 4, BINGHAMTON 0: The B-Mets stranded 10 runners, went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and were shut out for the fifth time this season. Portland starter Billy Buckner worked out of trouble in his first three innings. Binghamton put two aboard in the first, but failed to score when Juan Lagares fanned to end the inning. Lagares stranded two more in the third when he popped out to second. Portland cracked the scoreboard in the fifth against Gonzalez Germen. Jefry Marte opened the door by booting a groundball by Ronald Bermudez to start the inning. After a walk to Derrik Gibson and a sac bunt, Jeremy Hazelbaker bounced a two-run double over the third-base bag. Germen walked two more to load the bases, but escaped further harm by fanning Bryce Brentz. Germen (1-2) made it through six innings before handing off to Armando Rodriguez. Germen gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits and struck out six. In the seventh, the Sea Dogs put together three consecutive two-out hits against Rodriguez. Juan Carlos Linares supplied an RBI double and Reynaldo Rodriguez added a run-scoring triple. It was the first time this season Rodriguez has allowed more than one hit in a relief appearance. The B-Mets (19-20) continue their three-game series Saturday as Jenrry Mejia moves from St. Lucie to the B-Mets for the start. Box
ST. LUCIE 7, LAKELAND 2: Starter Chase Huchingson limited Lakeland to one run in five innings and Taylor Whitenton contributed two scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Alonzo Harris had three hits in the leadoff spot. Rafael Fernandez and Francisco Pena drove in two runs apiece. Box
AUGUSTA 4, SAVANNAH 3: For the second straight night, the Gnats stranded the tying run on second base in the ninth. The Gnats were 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Down 4-2 heading to the bottom of the ninth, the Gnats (24-16) rallied. Charley Thurber led off with a triple and scored on Gregory Pron’s RBI groundout. A single from Brandon Brown and a walk to Cam Maron put the tying run at second and the go-ahead run at first with one out. However, GreenJackets closer Cody Hall rebounded to strike out T.J. Rivera and Dustin Lawley to end the game. Augusta took a 2-0 lead against Savannah starter Tyler Pill in the second inning on three singles, an error, a sacrifice and an RBI groundout. Augusta added a run in the sixth for a 3-0 lead on a single, a stolen base and an RBI single. Pill allowed three runs, all earned, in six innings with no walks and five strikeouts. All eight hits against him were singles. The Gnats made it a one-run game with single runs in the sixth and eighth innings. In the sixth, Travis Taijeron walked and came home on Brian Harrison’s double . In the eighth, Aderlin Rodriguez, who was 2-for-4, crushed a solo homer. Rodriguez has hit safely in six straight games. Augusta added an insurance run in the top of the ninth that scored on a throwing error by Brown at second base. Box
Compiled from team reports
PORTLAND 4, BINGHAMTON 0: The B-Mets stranded 10 runners, went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and were shut out for the fifth time this season. Portland starter Billy Buckner worked out of trouble in his first three innings. Binghamton put two aboard in the first, but failed to score when Juan Lagares fanned to end the inning. Lagares stranded two more in the third when he popped out to second. Portland cracked the scoreboard in the fifth against Gonzalez Germen. Jefry Marte opened the door by booting a groundball by Ronald Bermudez to start the inning. After a walk to Derrik Gibson and a sac bunt, Jeremy Hazelbaker bounced a two-run double over the third-base bag. Germen walked two more to load the bases, but escaped further harm by fanning Bryce Brentz. Germen (1-2) made it through six innings before handing off to Armando Rodriguez. Germen gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits and struck out six. In the seventh, the Sea Dogs put together three consecutive two-out hits against Rodriguez. Juan Carlos Linares supplied an RBI double and Reynaldo Rodriguez added a run-scoring triple. It was the first time this season Rodriguez has allowed more than one hit in a relief appearance. The B-Mets (19-20) continue their three-game series Saturday as Jenrry Mejia moves from St. Lucie to the B-Mets for the start. Box
ST. LUCIE 7, LAKELAND 2: Starter Chase Huchingson limited Lakeland to one run in five innings and Taylor Whitenton contributed two scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Alonzo Harris had three hits in the leadoff spot. Rafael Fernandez and Francisco Pena drove in two runs apiece. Box
AUGUSTA 4, SAVANNAH 3: For the second straight night, the Gnats stranded the tying run on second base in the ninth. The Gnats were 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Down 4-2 heading to the bottom of the ninth, the Gnats (24-16) rallied. Charley Thurber led off with a triple and scored on Gregory Pron’s RBI groundout. A single from Brandon Brown and a walk to Cam Maron put the tying run at second and the go-ahead run at first with one out. However, GreenJackets closer Cody Hall rebounded to strike out T.J. Rivera and Dustin Lawley to end the game. Augusta took a 2-0 lead against Savannah starter Tyler Pill in the second inning on three singles, an error, a sacrifice and an RBI groundout. Augusta added a run in the sixth for a 3-0 lead on a single, a stolen base and an RBI single. Pill allowed three runs, all earned, in six innings with no walks and five strikeouts. All eight hits against him were singles. The Gnats made it a one-run game with single runs in the sixth and eighth innings. In the sixth, Travis Taijeron walked and came home on Brian Harrison’s double . In the eighth, Aderlin Rodriguez, who was 2-for-4, crushed a solo homer. Rodriguez has hit safely in six straight games. Augusta added an insurance run in the top of the ninth that scored on a throwing error by Brown at second base. Box
Compiled from team reports
GWINNETT 6, BUFFALO 1: Gwinnett righty Todd Redmond tossed six scoreless innings despite Buffalo producing a hit in each of those frames. Valentino Pascucci doubled to lead off the fourth, but was thrown out by left fielder Stefan Gartrell trying to stretch it to a triple. In the fifth, Omar Quintanilla reached on his second hit of the game but was picked off by Redmond. "A lot of base running mistakes, miscues hurt us today," manager Wally Backman said. Gwinnett took advantage of its chances, scoring six runs on seven hits. Gartrell hit a two-run homer in the top of the first. In the sixth, Gwinnett scored four more runs on four hits, knocking starter Jeremy Hefner from the game. In between the first and sixth innings, Hefner pitched four innings of no-hit innings. "Hefner struggled in that one inning, which we'll work on for his next start, but aside from that positives can be taken out from his performance earlier in the game," Backman said. Hefner, who entered the game with the second-lowest ERA in the International League, saw his ERA increase to 2.72. The Bisons scored their lone run in the ninth inning, when Fred Lewis led off with a triple and scored on a groundout from Vinny Rottino. Rottino went 1-for-3 with a walk to extend his Triple-A hitting streak to 18 games. Box
TRENTON 10, BINGHAMTON 1: The Thunder offense erupted for 16 hits, including nine in an eight-run eighth inning. Trenton starter Shaeffer Hall baffled Binghamton over 6 2/3 scoreless innings. B-Mets starter Mark Cohoon (2-4) had thrown seven strong innings before things unraveled. With the B-Mets trailing by two, the southpaw started the eight, but failed to record an out. The first five Thunder reached safely, highlighted by two-run homers by Corban Joseph and Luke Murton. Erik Turgeon entered in relief, but struggled. He allowed four more hits and watched as the Thunder tacked on four additional runs. In all, Trenton sent 12 men to the plate and set season highs with nine hits and eight runs in the inning. The B-Mets managed five hits against Hall. The southpaw threw a first-pitch strike to the first 22 batters he faced and cruised through six innings before allowing a pair of singles in the seventh. With the Thunder leading by two at the time, manager Tony Franklin called upon Kelvin Perez to get the final out of the frame. The righty struck out Sean Kazmar to end Binghamton’s final threat. Binghamton plated its lone run in the eighth against Perez. Matt den Dekker extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a double. He scored on Juan Lagares’ double. Box
BRADENTON at ST. LUCIE (ppd): Chris Young's scheduled start was postponed by rain. The teams will play a 10:30 a.m. doubleheader Wednesday. Box
SAVANNAH 4, CHARLESTON 3: Brandon Brown had a double and three RBIs and Dustin Lawley homered for the Gnats. T.J. Chism allowed two runs in the bottom of the ninth but held on for his third save. Jake deGrom allowed one run (unearned) in six innings while limiting Charleston to two hits. Box
Compiled from team reports
TRENTON 10, BINGHAMTON 1: The Thunder offense erupted for 16 hits, including nine in an eight-run eighth inning. Trenton starter Shaeffer Hall baffled Binghamton over 6 2/3 scoreless innings. B-Mets starter Mark Cohoon (2-4) had thrown seven strong innings before things unraveled. With the B-Mets trailing by two, the southpaw started the eight, but failed to record an out. The first five Thunder reached safely, highlighted by two-run homers by Corban Joseph and Luke Murton. Erik Turgeon entered in relief, but struggled. He allowed four more hits and watched as the Thunder tacked on four additional runs. In all, Trenton sent 12 men to the plate and set season highs with nine hits and eight runs in the inning. The B-Mets managed five hits against Hall. The southpaw threw a first-pitch strike to the first 22 batters he faced and cruised through six innings before allowing a pair of singles in the seventh. With the Thunder leading by two at the time, manager Tony Franklin called upon Kelvin Perez to get the final out of the frame. The righty struck out Sean Kazmar to end Binghamton’s final threat. Binghamton plated its lone run in the eighth against Perez. Matt den Dekker extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a double. He scored on Juan Lagares’ double. Box
BRADENTON at ST. LUCIE (ppd): Chris Young's scheduled start was postponed by rain. The teams will play a 10:30 a.m. doubleheader Wednesday. Box
SAVANNAH 4, CHARLESTON 3: Brandon Brown had a double and three RBIs and Dustin Lawley homered for the Gnats. T.J. Chism allowed two runs in the bottom of the ninth but held on for his third save. Jake deGrom allowed one run (unearned) in six innings while limiting Charleston to two hits. Box
Compiled from team reports
BUFFALO 9, SYRACUSE 0: Starter Jeremy Hefner pitched a great game as he led Buffalo to the shutout win. He gave up a leadoff single but did not allow another hit until the seventh, striking out three. Hefner said he avoids trying to pitch to the corners, so that he keeps from walking too many batters. By pitching to contact, he kept his pitch count down, and the defense did the rest. Third baseman Matt Tuiasosopo went 4-for-4, cranking two solo homers and scoring three runs. The major offensive explosion from the Bisons came in the second. A Fred Lewis single drove in the game's first run and the Bisons added four more runs in the inning to take a 5-0 lead after two. With the win, the Bisons finished their seven-game homestand at 6-1.The team now embarks on a 10-game road trip to Rochester, Gwinnett and Charlotte. D. J. Carrasco, on rehab assignment from the Mets, relieved Hefner in the eighth to pitch two shutout innings of relief.
"Hef, what did he give up, two hits today?" Bisons manager Wally Backman said. "He got a little taste of the big leagues, and he knows what he has to do to try to get back to the big leagues. He's a very determined young man." Box
HARRISBURG 7, BINGHAMTON 4: Harrisburg scored five runs in the second inning and held off a late comeback to defeat Binghamton (13-14) Friday night. Gonzalez Germen (0-1) made the start in place of Zack Wheeler, who was placed on the disabled list with a right middle fingernail avulsion. The Senators pounded out six hits in the scond, including three doubles, and took advantage of three wild pitches to take a five-run edge. Germen retired 14 of the final 15 Senators he faced, and tied a team-high with nine strikeouts. Raul Reyes and Juan Lagares drove in runs to cut it to 5-3, but Harrisburg answered right back with two runs in the seventh. Binghamton continues its series against the Senators Saturday afternoon at 1:05 PM. Lefty Darin Gorski is on the hill. Box
SAVANNAH 10, DELMARVA 0 The Sand Gnats (17-11) defeated the Delmarva Shorebirds 10-0 Friday night, sweeping the three-game series from the Shorebirds (13-14). They have now won five in a row. The Gnats scored four runs in the first. Left fielder Dustin Lawley ripped a double up the left-center field gap to plate the first two runs. Center fielder Travis Taijeron (3-for-4, 2 RBIs) and right fielder Charley Thurber each drove in runs in the first. The Gnats also scored in the third, sixth and eighth. Tyler Pill (3-1) tossed six shutout innings, giving up eight hits and striking out a season-high eight hitters. Reliever Jack Leathersich threw two scoreless innings in relief and the Gnats begin a four-game series against Lakewood staring tomorrow at home. Box
Compiled from team reports
"Hef, what did he give up, two hits today?" Bisons manager Wally Backman said. "He got a little taste of the big leagues, and he knows what he has to do to try to get back to the big leagues. He's a very determined young man." Box
HARRISBURG 7, BINGHAMTON 4: Harrisburg scored five runs in the second inning and held off a late comeback to defeat Binghamton (13-14) Friday night. Gonzalez Germen (0-1) made the start in place of Zack Wheeler, who was placed on the disabled list with a right middle fingernail avulsion. The Senators pounded out six hits in the scond, including three doubles, and took advantage of three wild pitches to take a five-run edge. Germen retired 14 of the final 15 Senators he faced, and tied a team-high with nine strikeouts. Raul Reyes and Juan Lagares drove in runs to cut it to 5-3, but Harrisburg answered right back with two runs in the seventh. Binghamton continues its series against the Senators Saturday afternoon at 1:05 PM. Lefty Darin Gorski is on the hill. Box
SAVANNAH 10, DELMARVA 0 The Sand Gnats (17-11) defeated the Delmarva Shorebirds 10-0 Friday night, sweeping the three-game series from the Shorebirds (13-14). They have now won five in a row. The Gnats scored four runs in the first. Left fielder Dustin Lawley ripped a double up the left-center field gap to plate the first two runs. Center fielder Travis Taijeron (3-for-4, 2 RBIs) and right fielder Charley Thurber each drove in runs in the first. The Gnats also scored in the third, sixth and eighth. Tyler Pill (3-1) tossed six shutout innings, giving up eight hits and striking out a season-high eight hitters. Reliever Jack Leathersich threw two scoreless innings in relief and the Gnats begin a four-game series against Lakewood staring tomorrow at home. Box
Compiled from team reports
BUFFALO 6, SYRACUSE 5: Buffalo (16-11) scored two runs in the sixth inning and two more in the eighth for its sixth win in the last seven games. Eleven of the Herd's wins have come in games in which it has trailed. On Thursday, Syracuse took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the sixth before the Herd rallied. Rob Johnson homered to lead off the frame and pinch hitter Michael Fisher scored all the way from first on Dustin Martin's double to tie the score. In the eighth, Bisons manager Wally Backman went to the bench three times to scratch across a pair of runs. A single from Brad Emaus and a double from Johnson had the Herd set up at second and third with no outs. Pinch hitter No. 1 Valentino Pascucci struck out and pinch hitter No. 2 Bobby Scales was intentionally walked. Pinch hitter No. 3 Lucas May then beat out a potential inning-ending double play to allow a run to score. Vinny Rottino added much-needed insurance with an RBI single. It proved to be the game-deciding run. Rottino had two hits, extending his hitting streak to a Bisons season-high 14 games. The win for Buffalo went to reliever Jack Egbert, who got the Herd out of a jam in the seventh. Fernando Cabrera pitched the ninth for his sixth save. Jeurys Familia started for the Bisons and allowed three runs (two earned) in five innings. He also had an RBI double in the second inning -- the sixth RBI by a Bisons pitcher this season, matching last year's total. In two games since being activated from the DL, Johnson is 5-for-7 with double, triple, homer and two RBIs. Mets right-hander D.J. Carrasco joined the Bisons on his rehab assignment and allowed a sixth-inning homer to Carlos Maldonado. He also picked up a strikeout in one inning. Box
BINGHAMTON 7, AKRON 3: Collin McHugh tossed 7 1/3 strong innings and Raul Reyes ripped a three-run homer as the B-Mets avoided getting swept in the four-game series. Facing spot starter Mason Radeke, the B-Mets took advantage of a rare Akron error in the first. A two-out walk to Reese Havens started the rally and shortstop Juan Diaz’s fielding error on Jefry Marte’s groundball set the table for Reyes. It was Akron’s 14th error as team, fewest in the Eastern League. Reyes cashed in by ripping his first long ball of the season. Binghamton doubled its lead in the fourth against former B-Met Jose De La Torre. Juan Lagares greeted the reliever by doubling. Travis Ozga brought him home by banging a double. Juan Centeno pushed Ozga to third my dribbling a single to the pitcher’s mound. Matt den Dekker plated Ozga with a sac fly. Josh Rodriguez gave Binghamton a six-run edge my lacing a double. Pedro Zapata and den Dekker laced back-to-back doubles to tack on another run in the sixth. It was all McHugh needed to rack up his team-leading fourth win. After side-stepping trouble in the first two innings, the righty cruised from the third onward. He retired 18 of 19 Aeros before Michel Hernandez doubled in the eighth. McHugh’s night was done after allowing run-scoring hits to Tim Fedroff and Juan Diaz. McHugh’s 7 1/3 innings were the most by any B-Met starter this year. He allowed three runs on six hits and struck out five while walking one. Erik Turgeon took over and allowed an RBI single to Jared Goedert before getting two outs to end the frame. Robert Carson tossed a perfect ninth to cap the victory. Box
JUPITER 6, ST. LUCIE 1: St. Lucie's seven-game winning streak was snapped despite Cory Vaughn delivering his team-leading seventh homer in the fourth inning. Vaughn drilled Matt Neil's offering over the left-center fence to cut the deficit to 3-1. Mets left-hander Angel Cuan (2-1) was dealt the loss, despite tossing six innings and allowing three runs on six hits with five strikeouts. Ryan Fraser allowed one run on three hits in two relief innings. John Church pitched the ninth and gave up two runs on one hit. Jupiter took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning on home runs by Marcell Ozuna and J.T. Realmuto. The Hammerheads picked up a run in the fifth after a balk was issued to Cuan to allow Yeison Hernandez to score from third. Hernandez delivered an RBI single in the seventh off Fraser to extend the lead to 4-1. Jupiter loaded the bases with one out in the ninth. Third baseman Wilmer Flores' throw toward second base on a potential double-play chance sailed into right field. The error allowed two runs to score. Box
SAVANNAH 3, DELMARVA 1: Domingo Tapia was dominant over 7 1/3 innings, in the longest start this season by a Gnats pitcher. The Gnats (16-11) won their fourth straight. Tapia gave up a pair of singles in the first inning, but escaped trouble with the help of third baseman Aderlin Rodriguez, who threw out a runner at the plate for the inning’s second out. That began a stretch during which Tapia (2-1) set down 14 batters in a row through the end of the fifth. The Gnats opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. Brandon Brown led off with a double and scored on DH Travis Taijeron’s single. Albert Cordero gave the Gnats a 2-0 advantage with a solo homer in the second. It was his first longball this season. Savannah made it 3-0 in the sixth. Taijeron reached on an infield single and scored on Charley Thurber’s triple. The Shorebirds (13-13) scored their only run in the eighth. After Tapia recorded the first out of the frame, a single and walk chased him. Reliever Estarlin Morel walked No. 9 hitter Mychal Givens to load the bases. He then gave up a sacrifice fly to Glynn Davis. With the tying run at first base, Gnats left fielder Gregory Pron made a diving catch to take a base hit away from the subsequent batter, Sammie Starr, to end the frame and preserve a two-run lead. Morel worked an uneventful ninth to wrap up his second save. The Gnats look for the sweep Friday when right-hander Tyler Pill (2-1, 2.11) opposes right-hander Tyler Wilson (3-1, 2.45). Box
Compiled from team reports
BINGHAMTON 7, AKRON 3: Collin McHugh tossed 7 1/3 strong innings and Raul Reyes ripped a three-run homer as the B-Mets avoided getting swept in the four-game series. Facing spot starter Mason Radeke, the B-Mets took advantage of a rare Akron error in the first. A two-out walk to Reese Havens started the rally and shortstop Juan Diaz’s fielding error on Jefry Marte’s groundball set the table for Reyes. It was Akron’s 14th error as team, fewest in the Eastern League. Reyes cashed in by ripping his first long ball of the season. Binghamton doubled its lead in the fourth against former B-Met Jose De La Torre. Juan Lagares greeted the reliever by doubling. Travis Ozga brought him home by banging a double. Juan Centeno pushed Ozga to third my dribbling a single to the pitcher’s mound. Matt den Dekker plated Ozga with a sac fly. Josh Rodriguez gave Binghamton a six-run edge my lacing a double. Pedro Zapata and den Dekker laced back-to-back doubles to tack on another run in the sixth. It was all McHugh needed to rack up his team-leading fourth win. After side-stepping trouble in the first two innings, the righty cruised from the third onward. He retired 18 of 19 Aeros before Michel Hernandez doubled in the eighth. McHugh’s night was done after allowing run-scoring hits to Tim Fedroff and Juan Diaz. McHugh’s 7 1/3 innings were the most by any B-Met starter this year. He allowed three runs on six hits and struck out five while walking one. Erik Turgeon took over and allowed an RBI single to Jared Goedert before getting two outs to end the frame. Robert Carson tossed a perfect ninth to cap the victory. Box
JUPITER 6, ST. LUCIE 1: St. Lucie's seven-game winning streak was snapped despite Cory Vaughn delivering his team-leading seventh homer in the fourth inning. Vaughn drilled Matt Neil's offering over the left-center fence to cut the deficit to 3-1. Mets left-hander Angel Cuan (2-1) was dealt the loss, despite tossing six innings and allowing three runs on six hits with five strikeouts. Ryan Fraser allowed one run on three hits in two relief innings. John Church pitched the ninth and gave up two runs on one hit. Jupiter took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning on home runs by Marcell Ozuna and J.T. Realmuto. The Hammerheads picked up a run in the fifth after a balk was issued to Cuan to allow Yeison Hernandez to score from third. Hernandez delivered an RBI single in the seventh off Fraser to extend the lead to 4-1. Jupiter loaded the bases with one out in the ninth. Third baseman Wilmer Flores' throw toward second base on a potential double-play chance sailed into right field. The error allowed two runs to score. Box
SAVANNAH 3, DELMARVA 1: Domingo Tapia was dominant over 7 1/3 innings, in the longest start this season by a Gnats pitcher. The Gnats (16-11) won their fourth straight. Tapia gave up a pair of singles in the first inning, but escaped trouble with the help of third baseman Aderlin Rodriguez, who threw out a runner at the plate for the inning’s second out. That began a stretch during which Tapia (2-1) set down 14 batters in a row through the end of the fifth. The Gnats opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. Brandon Brown led off with a double and scored on DH Travis Taijeron’s single. Albert Cordero gave the Gnats a 2-0 advantage with a solo homer in the second. It was his first longball this season. Savannah made it 3-0 in the sixth. Taijeron reached on an infield single and scored on Charley Thurber’s triple. The Shorebirds (13-13) scored their only run in the eighth. After Tapia recorded the first out of the frame, a single and walk chased him. Reliever Estarlin Morel walked No. 9 hitter Mychal Givens to load the bases. He then gave up a sacrifice fly to Glynn Davis. With the tying run at first base, Gnats left fielder Gregory Pron made a diving catch to take a base hit away from the subsequent batter, Sammie Starr, to end the frame and preserve a two-run lead. Morel worked an uneventful ninth to wrap up his second save. The Gnats look for the sweep Friday when right-hander Tyler Pill (2-1, 2.11) opposes right-hander Tyler Wilson (3-1, 2.45). Box
Compiled from team reports
LEHIGH VALLEY 8, BUFFALO 4: The series finale between the division rivals was a run-of-the-mill 2-2 game until a crazy top of the eighth. That's when a force out that wasn't opened the floodgates to a five-run rally for the IronPigs. The inning started when Valentino Pascucci bobbled a grounder to first base from Hector Luna. Cody Overbeck followed with a bunt to third base, but Josh Satin had no one to throw to after he fielded it. After a successful sacrifice and an intentional walk to Joe Thurston, the IronPigs were set up with the bases loaded and one out. Erik Kratz followed with a fly ball that dropped into shallow right. Matt Tuiasosopo came up throwing and sent a missile to home plate, where Rob Johnson missed the tag on Luna. However, no tag was needed as it was a force play. It was ruled that Luna beat the throw, and the umpire stood by his call even after Herd manager Wally Backman argued the play. Lehigh Valley's 3-2 lead quickly grew as Scott Podsednik singled home two runs on the next pitch. The IronPigs increased their lead to 7-2 with an RBI groundout from Andres Blanco and throwing error from Johnson. The Bisons scored two in the eighth in a rally that came up short, with Tuiasosopo and Satin driving in runs. Buffalo had already came back from 2-0 down with home runs from Pascucci and Jordany Valdespin. The loss for Buffalo was charged to Jack Egbert (0-1). He pitched the decisive eighth inning, giving up his first runs of the season. Bobby Scales reached base twice, with singles in the third and fifth innings. He has reached base at least twice in all 12 games he has started. Vinny Rottino and Zach Lutz did not start for the first time this season. However, both were used as pinch hitters in the contest. Pascucci's home run was his 43rd as a Bison. He is now in sole possession of ninth in the team's modern era. Box
BINGHAMTON 6, PORTLAND 0: Darin Gorski allowed one hit over six shutout innings and the B-Mets racked up 11 hits. Three B-Mets pitchers limited the Sea Dogs to three hits in their second shutout win of the season. Gorski, in his third B-Mets start, navigated his only threat in the second. With two outs, Gorski plunked Reynaldo Rodriguez and gave up a single to Ronald Bermudez. He escaped the jam by inducing Dan Butler to ground out. It was the only time Portland had a runner reach second against Gorski. The southpaw fired four perfect innings and capped his night by retiring Oscar Tejeda to end the sixth. It was the second time this season Gorski has given up one hit and tossed six scoreless innings. The B-Mets tagged starting pitcher Billy Buckner for six hits over five innings. Eric Campbell started the attack with a two-out, run-scoring single in the third. Travis Ozga (3-for-4) led off the fourth by launching the first pitch over the right-field fence, giving Binghamton a 2-0 lead. The drive was Ozga’s second long ball of the season, putting him in the team lead. Campbell added a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Michael Lee took over in the sixth and allowed the first five batters to reach. Josh Rodriguez laced an RBI single up the middle and Pedro Zapata drove home a pair with a bouncer to center. By the time Lee recorded his first out, the B-Mets held a six-run lead. Elvin Ramirez worked around a walk and an error to post a scoreless seventh. He then side-stepped a two-out double in the eighth. Ramirez has three consecutive appearances with four strikeouts. Armando Rodriguez shut the door with a scoreless ninth. The B-Mets (6-7) continue their four-game series against the Sea Dogs on Friday night. Greg Peavey, the reigning Eastern League Pitcher of the Week, opposes Chris Balcom-Miller. Box
ST. LUCIE 1, PALM BEACH 0 (six innings): St. Lucie Mets left-hander Chase Huchingson tossed five shutout innings and shortstop Wilfredo Tovar hit a go-ahead RBI single in the fifth as the Mets won a rain-shortened six-inning game. The Mets won their sixth consecutive game. Huchingson improved to 3-0 and has not allowed a run in 17 2/3 innings this season. He allowed four hits and one walk with three strikeouts. Tovar finished 2-for-2. In a scoreless game in the fifth, Richard Lucas reached second on a throwing error by Cardinals shortstop Ronny Gil. With Lucas at third and two outs, Tovar lined a single to right field off the glove of second baseman Starlin Rodriguez. Taylor Whitenton tossed a scoreless sixth, working around a hit and walk. The game was delayed due to rain after the third inning. Huchingson came back strong in the fourth and fifth innings to keep the Cardinals off the scoreboard. Danny Muno, Cory Vaughn and Wilmer Flores each recorded a hit for the Mets. Box
HICKORY 7, SAVANNAH 1: The Crawdads used three triples to snap the Sand Gnats’ six-game winning streak. Hickory (9-5) scored in three of the first four innings to take a 4-0 lead. In the first inning, Hanser Alberto tripled and scored, and in the second Chris Grayson did the same to put Hickory up 2-0. The Crawdads doubled their advantage with two unearned runs in the fourth against starter Alex Panteliodis. The Gnats (10-5) pushed across their only run in the bottom of the fourth. Brian Harrison singled and advanced around the bases on a balk, a groundout and an RBI groundout by Charley Thurber. Savannah had the bases loaded down 5-1 in the fifth, but could not find the hit to draw closer as Harrison and Aderlin Rodriguez consecutively struck out. Hickory out-hit Savannah 13-2. Panteliodis was charged with four runs, only one of which was earned, in four innings to take his first loss of the year. Hickory reliever Santo Perez shut down the Gnats over the final four innings to pick up his first save. The Gnats and Crawdads resume their four-game series Friday. Savannah right-hander Domingo Tapia (1-0, 2.25) opposes left-hander Will Lamb (0-1, 2.00). Box
Compiled from team reports
BINGHAMTON 6, PORTLAND 0: Darin Gorski allowed one hit over six shutout innings and the B-Mets racked up 11 hits. Three B-Mets pitchers limited the Sea Dogs to three hits in their second shutout win of the season. Gorski, in his third B-Mets start, navigated his only threat in the second. With two outs, Gorski plunked Reynaldo Rodriguez and gave up a single to Ronald Bermudez. He escaped the jam by inducing Dan Butler to ground out. It was the only time Portland had a runner reach second against Gorski. The southpaw fired four perfect innings and capped his night by retiring Oscar Tejeda to end the sixth. It was the second time this season Gorski has given up one hit and tossed six scoreless innings. The B-Mets tagged starting pitcher Billy Buckner for six hits over five innings. Eric Campbell started the attack with a two-out, run-scoring single in the third. Travis Ozga (3-for-4) led off the fourth by launching the first pitch over the right-field fence, giving Binghamton a 2-0 lead. The drive was Ozga’s second long ball of the season, putting him in the team lead. Campbell added a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Michael Lee took over in the sixth and allowed the first five batters to reach. Josh Rodriguez laced an RBI single up the middle and Pedro Zapata drove home a pair with a bouncer to center. By the time Lee recorded his first out, the B-Mets held a six-run lead. Elvin Ramirez worked around a walk and an error to post a scoreless seventh. He then side-stepped a two-out double in the eighth. Ramirez has three consecutive appearances with four strikeouts. Armando Rodriguez shut the door with a scoreless ninth. The B-Mets (6-7) continue their four-game series against the Sea Dogs on Friday night. Greg Peavey, the reigning Eastern League Pitcher of the Week, opposes Chris Balcom-Miller. Box
ST. LUCIE 1, PALM BEACH 0 (six innings): St. Lucie Mets left-hander Chase Huchingson tossed five shutout innings and shortstop Wilfredo Tovar hit a go-ahead RBI single in the fifth as the Mets won a rain-shortened six-inning game. The Mets won their sixth consecutive game. Huchingson improved to 3-0 and has not allowed a run in 17 2/3 innings this season. He allowed four hits and one walk with three strikeouts. Tovar finished 2-for-2. In a scoreless game in the fifth, Richard Lucas reached second on a throwing error by Cardinals shortstop Ronny Gil. With Lucas at third and two outs, Tovar lined a single to right field off the glove of second baseman Starlin Rodriguez. Taylor Whitenton tossed a scoreless sixth, working around a hit and walk. The game was delayed due to rain after the third inning. Huchingson came back strong in the fourth and fifth innings to keep the Cardinals off the scoreboard. Danny Muno, Cory Vaughn and Wilmer Flores each recorded a hit for the Mets. Box
HICKORY 7, SAVANNAH 1: The Crawdads used three triples to snap the Sand Gnats’ six-game winning streak. Hickory (9-5) scored in three of the first four innings to take a 4-0 lead. In the first inning, Hanser Alberto tripled and scored, and in the second Chris Grayson did the same to put Hickory up 2-0. The Crawdads doubled their advantage with two unearned runs in the fourth against starter Alex Panteliodis. The Gnats (10-5) pushed across their only run in the bottom of the fourth. Brian Harrison singled and advanced around the bases on a balk, a groundout and an RBI groundout by Charley Thurber. Savannah had the bases loaded down 5-1 in the fifth, but could not find the hit to draw closer as Harrison and Aderlin Rodriguez consecutively struck out. Hickory out-hit Savannah 13-2. Panteliodis was charged with four runs, only one of which was earned, in four innings to take his first loss of the year. Hickory reliever Santo Perez shut down the Gnats over the final four innings to pick up his first save. The Gnats and Crawdads resume their four-game series Friday. Savannah right-hander Domingo Tapia (1-0, 2.25) opposes left-hander Will Lamb (0-1, 2.00). Box
Compiled from team reports
BUFFALO 5, ROCHESTER 3: Valentino Pascucci's solo homer in the eighth put Buffalo up for good. The victory was the Bisons' third straight. Pascucci had 21 homers for the Bisons a season ago and got this campaign started right with a long ball on Opening Night in Pawtucket. On Sunday, with the score tied at 3 in the eighth, Pascucci crushed a 2-2 pitch from reliever Casey Fein to center field. It was Pascucci's 40th long ball with the Bisons. He becomes the 12th player to reach that milestone in the team's modern era. Buffalo also used the long ball to get an early lead. Trailing 1-0, Adam Loewen and Matt Tuiasosopo hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth for a 3-1 advantage. Rochester tied the score with two runs in sixth inning, but that was the only time it threatened against Bisons starter Jeremy Hefner (1-0). In his Herd debut, Hefner worked seven innings and struck out four. With Fernando Cabrera earning saves on Friday and Saturday night, Bisons manager Wally Backman turned to lefty Daniel Herrera to close Sunday's victory. Herrera struck out a pair over the final two innings. The last time the Bisons got back-to-back home runs was July 20, 2011 in Syracuse, with Pascucci and Jason Botts combining for the honors. With Herrera's two scoreless innings, the Bisons bullpen has now started the season with 14 scoreless frames. Bobby Scales had two more hits. He drove in the team's final run with an RBI single in the ninth. Box
AUGUSTA 8, SAVANNAH 5: Augusta scored five unanswered runs in the seventh and eighth innings to come from behind and split the season-opening four-game series. Savannah third baseman Aderlin Rodriguez delivered a three-run homer for the second straight day. Rodriguez has nine RBIs. Down 3-1, the Gnats put together a three-run fifth. Cam Maron led off with a walk, DH Brian Harrison singled and then Rodriguez lofted the three-run shot over the left-field wall. Savannah added a run in the sixth on Maron's sacrifice fly to build a 5-3 lead. The GreenJackets scored three times in the top of the seventh off the Savannah bullpen. Jose Cuevas, who tied Friday’s score with a two-run single in the ninth off reliever Estarlin Morel, doubled in two runs Sunday off Morel, putting Augusta in the lead. The GreenJackets tacked on two more runs in the eighth. Savannah reliever Carlos Vazquez, who allowed two walks and a single in the seventh, was charged with his first loss. The game began as a duel between two hard throwing young right-handers -- Domingo Tapia for Savannah and Kyle Crick for Augusta. Crick lasted just 3 2/3 innings, walking three and hitting two batters, but gave up only one run on three hits. Tapia lasted five innings, fanning three and walking one. He was touched for three runs on four hits. The Gnats begin a three-game series Monday, when the Rome Braves visit. Savannah will send right-hander Tyler Pill to the hill against left-hander Carlos Perez. Box
Compiled from team reports
AUGUSTA 8, SAVANNAH 5: Augusta scored five unanswered runs in the seventh and eighth innings to come from behind and split the season-opening four-game series. Savannah third baseman Aderlin Rodriguez delivered a three-run homer for the second straight day. Rodriguez has nine RBIs. Down 3-1, the Gnats put together a three-run fifth. Cam Maron led off with a walk, DH Brian Harrison singled and then Rodriguez lofted the three-run shot over the left-field wall. Savannah added a run in the sixth on Maron's sacrifice fly to build a 5-3 lead. The GreenJackets scored three times in the top of the seventh off the Savannah bullpen. Jose Cuevas, who tied Friday’s score with a two-run single in the ninth off reliever Estarlin Morel, doubled in two runs Sunday off Morel, putting Augusta in the lead. The GreenJackets tacked on two more runs in the eighth. Savannah reliever Carlos Vazquez, who allowed two walks and a single in the seventh, was charged with his first loss. The game began as a duel between two hard throwing young right-handers -- Domingo Tapia for Savannah and Kyle Crick for Augusta. Crick lasted just 3 2/3 innings, walking three and hitting two batters, but gave up only one run on three hits. Tapia lasted five innings, fanning three and walking one. He was touched for three runs on four hits. The Gnats begin a three-game series Monday, when the Rome Braves visit. Savannah will send right-hander Tyler Pill to the hill against left-hander Carlos Perez. Box
Compiled from team reports
Johan Santana pitches in a major league game for the first time since Sept. 2, 2010 as the Mets open the regular season at Citi Field at 1:10 p.m. against the Atlanta Braves. The Mets will honor Gary Carter, who died Feb. 16 after a 10-month battle with brain cancer, during pregame ceremonies. Carter's widow Sandy and children D.J., Kimmy and Christy will participate in the remembrance.
The Mets are 32-18 all time on Opening Day, a .640 winning percentage that is the best in the majors. The Yankees are second at 65-46 (.586), followed by Baltimore at 63-47 (.573) and Seattle at 20-15 (.571), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Read the Mets-Braves series preview here.
Before the first pitch, join me for a noon ET chat here.
Thursday's news reports:
• Team doctor David Altchek, who performed Santana's surgery, believes the southpaw is out of the woods as he returns from Sept. 14, 2010 surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder.
• Brian Costa in the Journal speaks with Santana about his signature changeup, while Michael Salfino also in the Journal notes pitchers who missed a season often struggle upon their return. Writes Salfino:
Pitchers who started the season for a team after sitting through a layoff of more than a season have combined to allow 4.22 runs per game while averaging just 137.8 innings. Excluding pitchers who missed time due to military service, Santana's absence from big league action that began on Sept. 2, 2010 will be the sixth longest since 1921, according to Stats LLC. The hurler with the longest gap between appearing in the majors and pitching on opening day, former Pirate and later Brooklyn Dodger Preacher Roe, pitched the best of this group. But Roe didn't miss all that time due to injury: He toiled in the minors for five years after pitching a couple innings in 1938.
• Read ESPNNewYork.com's breakdown of Mets pitchers here, including scout comment. There's a breakdown of the team's hitters here.
• Jon Niese has agreed to a five-year, $25.5 million contract, which can be worth as much as $46 million if the Mets exercise options for 2017 and 2018. The deal will not become official until Niese undergoes a physical. Read more in the Star-Ledger, Times, Newsday and Post.
• Ike Davis belted a three-run homer off Freddy Garcia, but the Yankees rallied to beat the Mets, 8-3, at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The Mets completed the Grapefruit League with a 9-20-2 record, one shy of matching the franchise's most losses in a spring training. Read more in Newsday.
• Bill Madden in the Daily News writes that Sandy Alderson apologized to Mets personnel for taking a detour and having to play in Tampa against the Yankees on the eve of the season. Madden faulted a profit motivation by the owners, who needed to send the team to George M. Steinbrenner Field in order to have the Yankees visit Port St. Lucie, which resulted Tuesday in the largest crowd ever at the Mets' complex for a spring-training game. Writes Madden:
According to MLB sources, when the Mets’ higher-ups learned the Yankees were scheduled to make a rare trip to the east coast of Florida at the end of spring training to open up the new Miami ballpark, they asked if they would consider extending their Sun Coast stay an extra day to play a game in Port St. Lucie. Sure, the Yankees said, as long as the Mets agreed to make it a home-and-home situation so that both teams could benefit from one additional spring training sellout.
It apparently mattered not to the Mets that the only available date left on their schedule was the last one. After all, what’s a little inconvenience to Terry Collins and his players compared to an extra million dollars in spring training revenue, derived from hiking the ticket prices for the Yankees game -- which, despite the fact the Yankees sent only three regulars, Brett Gardner, Nick Swisher and Andruw Jones, still drew a record crowd of 7,644? And weren’t the Yankees doing them an extra favor by moving up the start of Wednesday’s game to noon?
As a result of Wednesday's game in Tampa, the Mets could not have a workout at Citi Field. So their outfielders will go into the first game with revised dimensions without a rehearsal at their stadium.
• Needing to clear 40-man roster spots for Mike Baxter and Miguel Batista, the Mets placed right-handers Josh Stinson and Armando Rodriguez on outright waivers. Stinson was claimed by the Milwaukee Brewers and assigned to Double-A Huntsville. Rodriguez cleared waivers and will remain with the organization as a non-40-man roster player.
• Andrew Keh in the Times profiles right fielder Lucas Duda. Writes Keh:
Duda’s four home runs in exhibition games and a batting average that hovered around .300 provided some additional reassurance for the Mets’ front office. “Obviously, he’s got that power, that raw power, which scares pitchers out of the strike zone,” said Dave Hudgens, the team’s hitting coach. “He reminds me a ton of Jason Giambi -- that strength, the plate discipline, he can use the whole field, make adjustments.” When told of Hudgens’s comment, Duda said: “It’s nice to be compared to good players. But I’m myself. I can’t really try to be Jason Giambi. I know that sounds bland and vanilla.”
• The Mets' minor league affiliates open their seasons as well today, with Matt Harvey on the mound for Triple-A Buffalo and Collin McHugh starting for Double-A Binghamton.
Lynn Worthy in the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin speaks with top prospect Zack Wheeler, who will pitch for the B-Mets on Friday. "My mom and dad always said me and my brothers, we get our arms from our mom, because she was always breaking people's fingers and stuff when she was throwing the softball," Wheeler told Worthy. "Everyone was always scared to play catch with her."
Mike Harrington's Triple-A Bisons preview in the Buffalo News looks at manager Wally Backman and the uncertain future of the affiliation agreement with the Mets, which expires after this season. Writes Harrington:
The teams' Player Development Contract is up after this season and there will be plenty of pressure on the Bisons to look elsewhere if the 2012 Herd, which opens its season tonight in Pawtucket, flames out again. The Bisons, who have not made the playoffs since 2005, have big expectations for the 25th anniversary season of Coca-Cola Field and they're not unfounded. The Mets have done a good job stocking the club with veteran free agents -- including the return of 2011 Buffalo MVP Valentino Pascucci -- and have put their two close-to-the-majors pitching prospects (6-foot-4 right-handers Matt Harvey and Jeurys Familia) at the top of the Bisons' rotation. And to top it off, they've shuffled manager Wally Backman from Double-A Binghamton to Buffalo. Backman, the beloved second baseman from New York's 1986 World Series champions, is the rising star of the organization.
• Newsday's season preview package includes a look at the rotation, explanation of the difficult task of replacing Jose Reyes, a look at stadium grass maintenance, review of Citi Field dimension changes and a position-by-position look at the Mets.
• Andy Martino in the Daily News discusses Davis' left ankle (a nonissue, the first baseman says) as well as the suspected case of valley fever. Davis will get a follow-up exam of his lungs now that the team has arrived in New York. Writes Martino:
Although the ankle, which killed Davis’ sophomore year while he was batting .302, with seven home runs in 129 at-bats, has apparently healed (“The ankle is good,” Davis says. “I haven’t had a problem. Hopefully it never flares up.”), the Valley Fever lingers, and Davis cannot promise that it won’t be a problem. “I don’t know,” he said. “It could be, it couldn’t be. Obviously, it could have an effect. I feel tired, but so does everyone here.” The Mets, who issued a statement saying that Davis “likely” had Valley Fever, never went further than that, but Davis is operating under the assumption that he is indeed suffering from the desert-bred malady. “Oh yeah,” he says. “There is definitely something in there. The x-ray isn’t making stuff up.”
With spring training now over, it is difficult to say how much the condition affected Davis. He said this week that he “felt great,” ascribing his general weariness to the Grapefruit League’s unyielding schedule at the ballpark by 8 a.m., on the field for stretching and workouts by 9:30, play under sizzling sun at 1.
• The Marlins opened their season last night with Reyes at shortstop. And columnist Joel Sherman in the Post calls them the "IT" team. Writes Sherman:
There is glitz around the organization that begins with the vibrant colors and garish touches of this $634 million, retractable-roof facility, which could just as easily double as the largest disco in the world. They have a Jets-ian brash feel about them from the verbal jousts of manager Ozzie Guillen, the confident strut of owner Jeffrey Loria, the orange-dyed hair of Reyes and Hanley Ramirez, and the moon-shot abilities of Giancarlo Stanton. They will be the stars of the major leagues’ “Hard Knocks” ripoff, “The Franchise” on Showtime, and undoubtedly will end their six-year run of ranking last in NL attendance.
Jets coach Rex Ryan would look right amid the soap-opera potential and the unrestrained goal to win -- and win now. Look, it all could be ephemeral. The Securities and Exchange Commission is looking into the stadium financing. There are questions if there is enough local passion to retain fans once the novelty of the stadium fades. But, for now, the Marlins are an “It” team.
• The Daily News has scouting reports on Mets players, while Mike Puma in the Post and Andy McCullough in the Star-Ledger have general previews. Mike Kerwick in the Record says Mets players, despite the doubters, believe. "I understand the expectations," Mike Pelfrey told Kerwick. "We lost … I don't know how many games we lost. Eighty-five? We lost the National League batting champion. I understand. But we're going to be OK."
• Also read about Citi Field dimension changes in the Record and Journal.
• Bobby Valentine will do a weekly Boston Red Sox radio spot with Michael Kay on ESPN 1050 right here in New York. Read more in the Daily News.
• Columnist Mike Vaccaro says in the Post that 2012 might seem bleak, but it's been far worse. Writes Vaccaro:
If we can agree that the 1962 Mets were the gold standard (or the zinc standard, perhaps) for ineptitude, there are several candidates for which one comes next. The 103-loss Worst Team Money Could Buy team of 1993 makes a strong case, thanks to their bleach spraying and firecracker slinging. The 2003-04 versions, brightened by Art Howe’s personality lighting up the room, demand a spot in the team photo. As do just about any team from 1963-67, though ’63’s 111-loss team which finished 48 games out of first place (and 15th out of ninth) merits special consideration.
Still, as a representative of the franchise’s darkest, gloomiest period, it’s impossible to overlook 1979, when the team lost 99 games (and had to go on a heroic six-game winning streak to close the season), finished 35 games behind the first-place Pirates (and 17 behind the fifth-place Cubs) and drew 788,905 customers to Shea Stadium, including a nine-game homestand to close the home schedule that attracted a total of 48,960 die-hards -- 27,033 of whom came for Fan Appreciation Day.
• Jason Bay did not have an RBI during Grapefruit League play. Writes McCullough in the Star-Ledger:
He is sick of this conversation. Jason Bay has had some variation of it for more than two years now, with friends, family, teammates, coaches and reporters. He has fielded questions about his mechanics, his inconsistency and his disappointing résumé as a Met. His answers are never satisfactory because his performance has never satisfied. “But I understand,” Bay said yesterday inside the visitors clubhouse at George M. Steinbrenner Field for the Mets spring training finale. “Until you do something about it, that’s part of it.”
TRIVIA: Who was the winning pitcher in the Mets' first Opening Day victory as a franchise?
Wednesday's answer: Alex Cora is the only player to bat leadoff for the Mets other than Reyes since 2005. Cora started at shortstop and the No. 1 slot in the order two years ago, while Reyes was working back from a thyroid issue and opened the season on the disabled list.
The Mets are 32-18 all time on Opening Day, a .640 winning percentage that is the best in the majors. The Yankees are second at 65-46 (.586), followed by Baltimore at 63-47 (.573) and Seattle at 20-15 (.571), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Read the Mets-Braves series preview here.
Before the first pitch, join me for a noon ET chat here.
Thursday's news reports:
• Team doctor David Altchek, who performed Santana's surgery, believes the southpaw is out of the woods as he returns from Sept. 14, 2010 surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder.
• Brian Costa in the Journal speaks with Santana about his signature changeup, while Michael Salfino also in the Journal notes pitchers who missed a season often struggle upon their return. Writes Salfino:
Pitchers who started the season for a team after sitting through a layoff of more than a season have combined to allow 4.22 runs per game while averaging just 137.8 innings. Excluding pitchers who missed time due to military service, Santana's absence from big league action that began on Sept. 2, 2010 will be the sixth longest since 1921, according to Stats LLC. The hurler with the longest gap between appearing in the majors and pitching on opening day, former Pirate and later Brooklyn Dodger Preacher Roe, pitched the best of this group. But Roe didn't miss all that time due to injury: He toiled in the minors for five years after pitching a couple innings in 1938.
• Read ESPNNewYork.com's breakdown of Mets pitchers here, including scout comment. There's a breakdown of the team's hitters here.
• Jon Niese has agreed to a five-year, $25.5 million contract, which can be worth as much as $46 million if the Mets exercise options for 2017 and 2018. The deal will not become official until Niese undergoes a physical. Read more in the Star-Ledger, Times, Newsday and Post.
• Ike Davis belted a three-run homer off Freddy Garcia, but the Yankees rallied to beat the Mets, 8-3, at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The Mets completed the Grapefruit League with a 9-20-2 record, one shy of matching the franchise's most losses in a spring training. Read more in Newsday.
• Bill Madden in the Daily News writes that Sandy Alderson apologized to Mets personnel for taking a detour and having to play in Tampa against the Yankees on the eve of the season. Madden faulted a profit motivation by the owners, who needed to send the team to George M. Steinbrenner Field in order to have the Yankees visit Port St. Lucie, which resulted Tuesday in the largest crowd ever at the Mets' complex for a spring-training game. Writes Madden:
According to MLB sources, when the Mets’ higher-ups learned the Yankees were scheduled to make a rare trip to the east coast of Florida at the end of spring training to open up the new Miami ballpark, they asked if they would consider extending their Sun Coast stay an extra day to play a game in Port St. Lucie. Sure, the Yankees said, as long as the Mets agreed to make it a home-and-home situation so that both teams could benefit from one additional spring training sellout.
It apparently mattered not to the Mets that the only available date left on their schedule was the last one. After all, what’s a little inconvenience to Terry Collins and his players compared to an extra million dollars in spring training revenue, derived from hiking the ticket prices for the Yankees game -- which, despite the fact the Yankees sent only three regulars, Brett Gardner, Nick Swisher and Andruw Jones, still drew a record crowd of 7,644? And weren’t the Yankees doing them an extra favor by moving up the start of Wednesday’s game to noon?
As a result of Wednesday's game in Tampa, the Mets could not have a workout at Citi Field. So their outfielders will go into the first game with revised dimensions without a rehearsal at their stadium.
• Needing to clear 40-man roster spots for Mike Baxter and Miguel Batista, the Mets placed right-handers Josh Stinson and Armando Rodriguez on outright waivers. Stinson was claimed by the Milwaukee Brewers and assigned to Double-A Huntsville. Rodriguez cleared waivers and will remain with the organization as a non-40-man roster player.
• Andrew Keh in the Times profiles right fielder Lucas Duda. Writes Keh:
Duda’s four home runs in exhibition games and a batting average that hovered around .300 provided some additional reassurance for the Mets’ front office. “Obviously, he’s got that power, that raw power, which scares pitchers out of the strike zone,” said Dave Hudgens, the team’s hitting coach. “He reminds me a ton of Jason Giambi -- that strength, the plate discipline, he can use the whole field, make adjustments.” When told of Hudgens’s comment, Duda said: “It’s nice to be compared to good players. But I’m myself. I can’t really try to be Jason Giambi. I know that sounds bland and vanilla.”
• The Mets' minor league affiliates open their seasons as well today, with Matt Harvey on the mound for Triple-A Buffalo and Collin McHugh starting for Double-A Binghamton.
Lynn Worthy in the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin speaks with top prospect Zack Wheeler, who will pitch for the B-Mets on Friday. "My mom and dad always said me and my brothers, we get our arms from our mom, because she was always breaking people's fingers and stuff when she was throwing the softball," Wheeler told Worthy. "Everyone was always scared to play catch with her."
Mike Harrington's Triple-A Bisons preview in the Buffalo News looks at manager Wally Backman and the uncertain future of the affiliation agreement with the Mets, which expires after this season. Writes Harrington:
The teams' Player Development Contract is up after this season and there will be plenty of pressure on the Bisons to look elsewhere if the 2012 Herd, which opens its season tonight in Pawtucket, flames out again. The Bisons, who have not made the playoffs since 2005, have big expectations for the 25th anniversary season of Coca-Cola Field and they're not unfounded. The Mets have done a good job stocking the club with veteran free agents -- including the return of 2011 Buffalo MVP Valentino Pascucci -- and have put their two close-to-the-majors pitching prospects (6-foot-4 right-handers Matt Harvey and Jeurys Familia) at the top of the Bisons' rotation. And to top it off, they've shuffled manager Wally Backman from Double-A Binghamton to Buffalo. Backman, the beloved second baseman from New York's 1986 World Series champions, is the rising star of the organization.
• Newsday's season preview package includes a look at the rotation, explanation of the difficult task of replacing Jose Reyes, a look at stadium grass maintenance, review of Citi Field dimension changes and a position-by-position look at the Mets.
• Andy Martino in the Daily News discusses Davis' left ankle (a nonissue, the first baseman says) as well as the suspected case of valley fever. Davis will get a follow-up exam of his lungs now that the team has arrived in New York. Writes Martino:
Although the ankle, which killed Davis’ sophomore year while he was batting .302, with seven home runs in 129 at-bats, has apparently healed (“The ankle is good,” Davis says. “I haven’t had a problem. Hopefully it never flares up.”), the Valley Fever lingers, and Davis cannot promise that it won’t be a problem. “I don’t know,” he said. “It could be, it couldn’t be. Obviously, it could have an effect. I feel tired, but so does everyone here.” The Mets, who issued a statement saying that Davis “likely” had Valley Fever, never went further than that, but Davis is operating under the assumption that he is indeed suffering from the desert-bred malady. “Oh yeah,” he says. “There is definitely something in there. The x-ray isn’t making stuff up.”
With spring training now over, it is difficult to say how much the condition affected Davis. He said this week that he “felt great,” ascribing his general weariness to the Grapefruit League’s unyielding schedule at the ballpark by 8 a.m., on the field for stretching and workouts by 9:30, play under sizzling sun at 1.
• The Marlins opened their season last night with Reyes at shortstop. And columnist Joel Sherman in the Post calls them the "IT" team. Writes Sherman:
There is glitz around the organization that begins with the vibrant colors and garish touches of this $634 million, retractable-roof facility, which could just as easily double as the largest disco in the world. They have a Jets-ian brash feel about them from the verbal jousts of manager Ozzie Guillen, the confident strut of owner Jeffrey Loria, the orange-dyed hair of Reyes and Hanley Ramirez, and the moon-shot abilities of Giancarlo Stanton. They will be the stars of the major leagues’ “Hard Knocks” ripoff, “The Franchise” on Showtime, and undoubtedly will end their six-year run of ranking last in NL attendance.
Jets coach Rex Ryan would look right amid the soap-opera potential and the unrestrained goal to win -- and win now. Look, it all could be ephemeral. The Securities and Exchange Commission is looking into the stadium financing. There are questions if there is enough local passion to retain fans once the novelty of the stadium fades. But, for now, the Marlins are an “It” team.
• The Daily News has scouting reports on Mets players, while Mike Puma in the Post and Andy McCullough in the Star-Ledger have general previews. Mike Kerwick in the Record says Mets players, despite the doubters, believe. "I understand the expectations," Mike Pelfrey told Kerwick. "We lost … I don't know how many games we lost. Eighty-five? We lost the National League batting champion. I understand. But we're going to be OK."
• Also read about Citi Field dimension changes in the Record and Journal.
• Bobby Valentine will do a weekly Boston Red Sox radio spot with Michael Kay on ESPN 1050 right here in New York. Read more in the Daily News.
• Columnist Mike Vaccaro says in the Post that 2012 might seem bleak, but it's been far worse. Writes Vaccaro:
If we can agree that the 1962 Mets were the gold standard (or the zinc standard, perhaps) for ineptitude, there are several candidates for which one comes next. The 103-loss Worst Team Money Could Buy team of 1993 makes a strong case, thanks to their bleach spraying and firecracker slinging. The 2003-04 versions, brightened by Art Howe’s personality lighting up the room, demand a spot in the team photo. As do just about any team from 1963-67, though ’63’s 111-loss team which finished 48 games out of first place (and 15th out of ninth) merits special consideration.
Still, as a representative of the franchise’s darkest, gloomiest period, it’s impossible to overlook 1979, when the team lost 99 games (and had to go on a heroic six-game winning streak to close the season), finished 35 games behind the first-place Pirates (and 17 behind the fifth-place Cubs) and drew 788,905 customers to Shea Stadium, including a nine-game homestand to close the home schedule that attracted a total of 48,960 die-hards -- 27,033 of whom came for Fan Appreciation Day.
• Jason Bay did not have an RBI during Grapefruit League play. Writes McCullough in the Star-Ledger:
He is sick of this conversation. Jason Bay has had some variation of it for more than two years now, with friends, family, teammates, coaches and reporters. He has fielded questions about his mechanics, his inconsistency and his disappointing résumé as a Met. His answers are never satisfactory because his performance has never satisfied. “But I understand,” Bay said yesterday inside the visitors clubhouse at George M. Steinbrenner Field for the Mets spring training finale. “Until you do something about it, that’s part of it.”
TRIVIA: Who was the winning pitcher in the Mets' first Opening Day victory as a franchise?
Wednesday's answer: Alex Cora is the only player to bat leadoff for the Mets other than Reyes since 2005. Cora started at shortstop and the No. 1 slot in the order two years ago, while Reyes was working back from a thyroid issue and opened the season on the disabled list.
View from minors camp: Fulmer, Wally
March, 20, 2012
Mar 20
12:01
PM ET
By
Adam Rubin | ESPNNewYork.com
Adam Rubin
Right-hander Michael Fulmer, a supplemental first-round pick last July out of high school in Oklahoma, works with minor league pitching coordinator Ron Romanick on Tuesday morning.
Adam Rubin
Wally Backman hits grounders to infielders. Backman will manage Triple-A Buffalo this season.
Adam Rubin
Danny Muno, who hit .355 at Brooklyn last season, works on infield drills. Muno is an eighth-round pick out of Fresno State.
Here are the Mets' expected minor league coaching assignments for 2012. The Mets now have eight teams after the elimination of the Gulf Coast League squad based in Port St. Lucie.
Buffalo (AAA)
Manager: Wally Backman
Pitching coach: Mark Brewer
Hitting coach: George Greer
Binghamton (AA)
Manager: Pedro Lopez
Pitching coach: Glenn Abbott
Hitting coach: Luis Natera
St. Lucie
Manager: Ryan Ellis
Pitching coach: Phil Regan
Hitting coach: Benny Distefano
Coach: Jose Carreno
Savannah
Manager: Luis Rojas
Pitching coach: Frank Viola
Hitting coach: Joel Fuentes
Brooklyn
Manager: Rich Donnelly
Pitching coach: Marc Valdes
Hitting coach: Bobby Malek
Kingsport
Manager: Jon Debus
Pitching coach: Jonathan Hurst
Hitting coach: Yunir Garcia
Dominican Mets 1
Manager: Jose Leger
Pitching coach: Francis Martinez
Hitting coach: Ender Chavez (brother of ex-Met Endy Chavez)
Coach: Manny Martinez
Dominican Mets 2
Manager: Alberto Castillo
Pitching coach: Benjamin Marte
Hitting coach: Leo Hernandez
Coach: David Davalillo
Buffalo (AAA)
Manager: Wally Backman
Pitching coach: Mark Brewer
Hitting coach: George Greer
Binghamton (AA)
Manager: Pedro Lopez
Pitching coach: Glenn Abbott
Hitting coach: Luis Natera
St. Lucie
Manager: Ryan Ellis
Pitching coach: Phil Regan
Hitting coach: Benny Distefano
Coach: Jose Carreno
Savannah
Manager: Luis Rojas
Pitching coach: Frank Viola
Hitting coach: Joel Fuentes
Brooklyn
Manager: Rich Donnelly
Pitching coach: Marc Valdes
Hitting coach: Bobby Malek
Kingsport
Manager: Jon Debus
Pitching coach: Jonathan Hurst
Hitting coach: Yunir Garcia
Dominican Mets 1
Manager: Jose Leger
Pitching coach: Francis Martinez
Hitting coach: Ender Chavez (brother of ex-Met Endy Chavez)
Coach: Manny Martinez
Dominican Mets 2
Manager: Alberto Castillo
Pitching coach: Benjamin Marte
Hitting coach: Leo Hernandez
Coach: David Davalillo
Three days until Mets pitchers and catchers officially report.
Friday's news reports:
• Hall of Famer Gary Carter's battle with brain cancer ended Thursday when he passed away at 4:10 p.m., his daughter Kimmy Bloemers indicated, leaving former teammates, other friends, family and the entire baseball community in mourning. He was 57.
Tim Kurkjian's tribute at ESPNNewYork.com included this great anecdote, as told by former teammate Ron Darling, about the 10th inning of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series:
"Kid never swore, never. He'd say 'Gosh darn' and 'Jeez.' Because of his religious beliefs, he never swore -- and that was rare on that team," Darling said. "But when he got to first base in the 10th inning, the late Bill Robinson, who was our first-base coach, told me that Kid told him, 'There's no way I'm making the last f------ out.' That's the competitor he was."
Columnist Bob Klapisch, who covered the '86 Mets, wrote in the Record:
Watching him go to work on a misplaced fastball was artistry. But mostly, Kid stood out because his moral scaffolding kept him drug and alcohol free. The Mets used to joke they’d be “on the pavement” 45 minutes after the last out. That was their rallying cry in ’86: in the bars, deep into the other side of midnight. But you never found Carter exploring his darker angels. He was faithful to his wife, Sandy, and unlike some of the other married Mets, didn’t have girlfriends on the side. Carter knew that he was being mocked for his lifestyle, but that never bothered him enough to seek revenge. He chose to turn the other cheek, although that’s not to say Kid was a coward.
Marty Noble, who covered Carter for Newsday, wrote at MLB.com:
The Boy Scout in him never faded. A one-time colleague who liked him acknowledged that he seemed to be auditioning for a Wheaties-box appearance at every turn. And after Carter died Thursday, the same man suggested a likeness of his former comrade on the cereal box would be a fitting testament. "A decent, decent man," he called Carter.
Check out the ESPNNewYork.com photo gallery here. Listen to Dwight Gooden on ESPN New York 1050 here. And read tributes and remembrances from Ian O'Connor at ESPNNewYork.com here as well as in the Montreal Gazette, Times, Daily News, Post, Star-Ledger, Journal and Newsday.
• Johan Santana will step on a mound for the first time since the end of September on Friday at the Mets' complex. It's not quite momentous, since the test of his surgically repaired shoulder will be whether Santana can withstand pitching in games every fifth or sixth day. Pitching coach Dan Warthen hopes to place Santana on that every-five-days schedule throughout Grapefruit League play. Read more in the Record, Newsday, Star-Ledger and Daily News.
• Jose Reyes, participating in a Marlins caravan tour of South Florida, expressed sympathy for the Mets' plight."I understand it's a tough situation for the organization," Reyes told the Post's Dan Martin. "What they're going through isn't easy and that's why I was hurt at the beginning. But with the problems they have, I get it. I feel bad for them."
Still, Reyes would have liked an offer. "At least come to me and say, 'This is what we have,'" Reyes told Martin. "Make a push. Even if it's not what I'm looking for, show me you still want me. ... When I get to spring training next week, it's probably going to feel a little bit different. Every year I saw the same guys, like David Wright. Now I have a new team to learn."
• Wally Backman officially was introduced as Bisons skipper in Buffalo on Thursday. Backman, who is being promoted from Double-A Binghamton, announced he would wear No. 8 as a tribute to Carter, Mike Harrington reported in the Buffalo News. Mark Brewer will serve as pitching coach and George Greer will serve as hitting coach for the Bisons, who host this year's Triple-A All-Star Game.
• More legal papers were filed/unsealed Thursday in trustee Irving Picard's $386 million lawsuit against Fred Wilpon and family. Writes Anthony M. Destefano in Newsday:
According to Picard's unredacted court papers filed in federal district court, co-owner Saul Katz at one point invested with Madoff to take advantage of the investment earnings rather than taking out key disability insurance on certain Mets players. The account used became known as "Saul's cookie jar," according to Picard's filing. Picard has alleged that the Sterling partners and related defendants had more than 59 percent to 87 percent of their liquid assets tied up with Madoff, an amount that reached $432 million in 2007, court papers stated.
The Wilpons' attorneys also filed a bevy of paperwork late, late last night, including trying to strike some of Picard's witnesses.
• Mets outfield prospect Sean Ratliff is making a comeback bid after getting struck late last spring training in the right eye.
• 2010 first-round pick/devout New England Patriots fan Matt Harvey arrived at camp Thursday and spoke about his need to keep the ball down in the zone if he is to have success at higher levels of the minors. Backman told Bisons fans he expected both Harvey and Jeurys Familia to begin the season with Double-A Binghamton. Read more on Harvey in the Post, Times, Star-Ledger and Newsday.
TRIVIA: Carter was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003. Which player(s) were enshrined with him in that class?
(Thursday's answer: Willie Stargell is the leader in career RBIs against the Mets franchise with 182. Mike Schmidt is next with 162, followed by active-leader Chipper Jones with 154.)
Friday's news reports:
• Hall of Famer Gary Carter's battle with brain cancer ended Thursday when he passed away at 4:10 p.m., his daughter Kimmy Bloemers indicated, leaving former teammates, other friends, family and the entire baseball community in mourning. He was 57.
Tim Kurkjian's tribute at ESPNNewYork.com included this great anecdote, as told by former teammate Ron Darling, about the 10th inning of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series:
"Kid never swore, never. He'd say 'Gosh darn' and 'Jeez.' Because of his religious beliefs, he never swore -- and that was rare on that team," Darling said. "But when he got to first base in the 10th inning, the late Bill Robinson, who was our first-base coach, told me that Kid told him, 'There's no way I'm making the last f------ out.' That's the competitor he was."
Columnist Bob Klapisch, who covered the '86 Mets, wrote in the Record:
Watching him go to work on a misplaced fastball was artistry. But mostly, Kid stood out because his moral scaffolding kept him drug and alcohol free. The Mets used to joke they’d be “on the pavement” 45 minutes after the last out. That was their rallying cry in ’86: in the bars, deep into the other side of midnight. But you never found Carter exploring his darker angels. He was faithful to his wife, Sandy, and unlike some of the other married Mets, didn’t have girlfriends on the side. Carter knew that he was being mocked for his lifestyle, but that never bothered him enough to seek revenge. He chose to turn the other cheek, although that’s not to say Kid was a coward.
Marty Noble, who covered Carter for Newsday, wrote at MLB.com:
The Boy Scout in him never faded. A one-time colleague who liked him acknowledged that he seemed to be auditioning for a Wheaties-box appearance at every turn. And after Carter died Thursday, the same man suggested a likeness of his former comrade on the cereal box would be a fitting testament. "A decent, decent man," he called Carter.
Check out the ESPNNewYork.com photo gallery here. Listen to Dwight Gooden on ESPN New York 1050 here. And read tributes and remembrances from Ian O'Connor at ESPNNewYork.com here as well as in the Montreal Gazette, Times, Daily News, Post, Star-Ledger, Journal and Newsday.
• Johan Santana will step on a mound for the first time since the end of September on Friday at the Mets' complex. It's not quite momentous, since the test of his surgically repaired shoulder will be whether Santana can withstand pitching in games every fifth or sixth day. Pitching coach Dan Warthen hopes to place Santana on that every-five-days schedule throughout Grapefruit League play. Read more in the Record, Newsday, Star-Ledger and Daily News.
• Jose Reyes, participating in a Marlins caravan tour of South Florida, expressed sympathy for the Mets' plight."I understand it's a tough situation for the organization," Reyes told the Post's Dan Martin. "What they're going through isn't easy and that's why I was hurt at the beginning. But with the problems they have, I get it. I feel bad for them."
Still, Reyes would have liked an offer. "At least come to me and say, 'This is what we have,'" Reyes told Martin. "Make a push. Even if it's not what I'm looking for, show me you still want me. ... When I get to spring training next week, it's probably going to feel a little bit different. Every year I saw the same guys, like David Wright. Now I have a new team to learn."
• Wally Backman officially was introduced as Bisons skipper in Buffalo on Thursday. Backman, who is being promoted from Double-A Binghamton, announced he would wear No. 8 as a tribute to Carter, Mike Harrington reported in the Buffalo News. Mark Brewer will serve as pitching coach and George Greer will serve as hitting coach for the Bisons, who host this year's Triple-A All-Star Game.
• More legal papers were filed/unsealed Thursday in trustee Irving Picard's $386 million lawsuit against Fred Wilpon and family. Writes Anthony M. Destefano in Newsday:
According to Picard's unredacted court papers filed in federal district court, co-owner Saul Katz at one point invested with Madoff to take advantage of the investment earnings rather than taking out key disability insurance on certain Mets players. The account used became known as "Saul's cookie jar," according to Picard's filing. Picard has alleged that the Sterling partners and related defendants had more than 59 percent to 87 percent of their liquid assets tied up with Madoff, an amount that reached $432 million in 2007, court papers stated.
The Wilpons' attorneys also filed a bevy of paperwork late, late last night, including trying to strike some of Picard's witnesses.
• Mets outfield prospect Sean Ratliff is making a comeback bid after getting struck late last spring training in the right eye.
• 2010 first-round pick/devout New England Patriots fan Matt Harvey arrived at camp Thursday and spoke about his need to keep the ball down in the zone if he is to have success at higher levels of the minors. Backman told Bisons fans he expected both Harvey and Jeurys Familia to begin the season with Double-A Binghamton. Read more on Harvey in the Post, Times, Star-Ledger and Newsday.
TRIVIA: Carter was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003. Which player(s) were enshrined with him in that class?
(Thursday's answer: Willie Stargell is the leader in career RBIs against the Mets franchise with 182. Mike Schmidt is next with 162, followed by active-leader Chipper Jones with 154.)
Podcast: Wally Backman in Buffalo
November, 17, 2011
11/17/11
3:14
PM ET
By
Adam Rubin | ESPNNewYork.com
Courtesy of Buffalo Bisons
Wally Backman (right), with Bisons GM Mike Buczkowski at Thursday's press conference in Buffalo.
Wally Backman was introduced as Triple-A Buffalo manager on Thursday. He managed Double-A Binghamton last season.
Listen to the first part of Backman discussing the promotion with Buffalo media
here:
Listen to part 2 here:
Backman intro expected Thursday
November, 13, 2011
11/13/11
8:45
PM ET
By
Adam Rubin | ESPNNewYork.com
Wally Backman, who elected to stay with the organization, should be formally introduced as Triple-A Buffalo manager on Thursday, according to an organization source.
Backman has managed in the Mets system the past two years -- in 2010 with Class A Brooklyn and then this past season with Double-A Binghamton.
Backman has managed in the Mets system the past two years -- in 2010 with Class A Brooklyn and then this past season with Double-A Binghamton.
Wally Backman will stay with the organization and accept their offer to manage Triple-A Buffalo, he told Bob Klapisch in the Record.
Backman indicated that a conversation with Washington Nationals manager Davey Johnson, his skipper with the champion '86 Mets, was influential in convincing him to remain.
“We talked for about two hours, and he really thinks it’s in my best interest to not go anywhere,” Backman told Klapisch. “Actually Davey was adamant about it -- that’s how strongly he feels that I’m going to manage (the Mets) someday. And I do trust him.”
Backman indicated that a conversation with Washington Nationals manager Davey Johnson, his skipper with the champion '86 Mets, was influential in convincing him to remain.
“We talked for about two hours, and he really thinks it’s in my best interest to not go anywhere,” Backman told Klapisch. “Actually Davey was adamant about it -- that’s how strongly he feels that I’m going to manage (the Mets) someday. And I do trust him.”
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Adam Rubin
Adam Rubin has covered the Mets since 2003. He's a graduate of Mepham High School on Long Island and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined ESPNNewYork after spending 10 years at the New York Daily News.
Andrew Marchand
Andrew Marchand is a senior writer for ESPNNewYork.com. He also regularly contributes to SportsCenter, Baseball Tonight, ESPNews, 1050 ESPN New York and ESPN Radio. He joined ESPN in 2007 after nine years as a sports writer at the New York Post.
Mark Simon
Mark Simon is ESPN Stats & Information's Baseball Research Specialist. He's also one of several Mets historians working at ESPN and a co-host of the Baseball Today podcast. He joined ESPN in 2002 after 6 1/2 years as a sports writer at the Trenton Times.
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UPCOMING GAMES
| W-L | HM | AW | STK | L10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDG | 17-30 | 12-16 | 5-14 | L1 | |
| NYM | 25-21 | 13-9 | 12-12 | W1 |
| W-L | HM | AW | STK | L10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDG | 17-30 | 12-16 | 5-14 | L1 | |
| NYM | 25-21 | 13-9 | 12-12 | W1 |
| W-L | HM | AW | STK | L10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDG | 17-30 | 12-16 | 5-14 | L1 | |
| NYM | 25-21 | 13-9 | 12-12 | W1 |
TEAM LEADERS
| BA LEADER | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
David Wright
|
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| OTHER LEADERS | ||||||||||||
| HR | D. Wright | 5 | ||||||||||
| RBI | D. Wright | 28 | ||||||||||
| R | D. Wright | 30 | ||||||||||
| OPS | D. Wright | 1.110 | ||||||||||
| W | R. Dickey | 6 | ||||||||||
| ERA | J. Santana | 3.24 | ||||||||||
| SO | J. Santana | 53 | ||||||||||
