Minors Stuff

The Herd:

A two-run deficit in the first inning has basically meant game-over for the Buffalo Bisons this season. The Herd finally showed some resilience Monday night in Coca-Cola Field and, amazingly enough, it resulted in an actual comeback win.
Jesus Feliciano did the ultimate honors, belting a two-run walk-off home to right field with two out in the bottom of the ninth that gave Buffalo a 5-3 win over the Norfolk Tides.

Feliciano’s first homer of the season came on a 2-1 slider from Norfolk reliever Andy Mitchell and gave the Herd a split of the four-game series.

But there is no home plate celebration in this one if the Bisons (7-22) don’t battle back for one of the few times this season.

A two-run homer by Norfolk’s Oscar Salazar’s in the top
of the first off Tim Redding was a bad omen, as Buffalo was just 1-18 this year when opponents score first and had only won one other time when trailing by more than one run.

“They battled back and Redding shut them down after that two-run homer,” said manager Ken Oberkfell. “That was nice, really nice to see that. It’s fun to win. I want to see that on a more consistent basis.”

The Herd scratched out a run in the third on Feliciano’s RBI double and two more in the fourth for a 3-2 lead. Norfolk tied it in the seventh on Carlos Rojas’ beautiful squeeze bunt before Feliciano delivered in the ninth.

“When I hit it, I knew it was gone because it was a line shot,” Feliciano said. “It was great. We played a pretty good game. We drove some guys in from scoring position. The key was we didn’t give up.”

Give it up to the parent New York Mets for paying plenty of attention to the Herd’s struggles. Roving pitching coordinator Rick Waits and pitching consultant Al Jackson were both at the game to watch Redding, who went seven strong innings and threw 97 pitches in his second injury rehab start.

But also on hand were hitting instructor Lamar Johnson and field coordinator Luis Aguayo. Johnson, the former Chicago White Sox slugger with many years of experience as a hitting coach in Triple-A and the big leagues, met with his charges before this one and told them to try to start the season over

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bisons/story/668760.html


B-Mets:

Righty Fernando Nieve retired the final 15 men he faced and worked a season-long six innings, but the B-Mets fell 2-1 to the Fisher Cats. Emmanuel Garcia scored Binghamton’s only run after doubling in the sixth and Eric Brown was the loser giving up just a run in two innings of relief.



Nieve came out firing early working a 1-2-3 first inning, but he ran into trouble in the second, loading the bases thanks to a single, a walk and an error committed by Garcia in center. With the bases full, Al Quintana grounded into a fielder’s choice that allowed David Cooper, who had led off the inning with a single, to score, making it 1-0.



Casey Janssen, who made his first start for New Hampshire (18-14) since 2005 pitched scoreless up until the sixth inning. With one out, he gave up an infield single to Ruben Tejada. Following Tejada, Garcia doubled off the wall in right-center. Tejada tried to score from first, but was thrown out on a relay by second baseman Brad Emaus from rightfielder Nick Gorneault. Garcia advanced to third on the throw and came home to score the tying run on a bloop single to center with two outs from Jonathan Malo.



Nieve exited after six innings giving way to Eric Brown. The first batter Brown faced, David Cooper, roped a solo home run to right-center to give the Fisher Cats the lead for good at 2-1.



Janssen went six innings giving up just one run on four hits with five strikeouts. Brandon Magee, the starter that Janssen displaced, picked up the win with 1.2 innings of scoreless relief.



Edgar Estanga came on with the tying run on base in the eighth and struck out Garcia to end the inning and secure the lead. In the ninth, he came out and saved things retiring Binghamton (14-16) in order. Nieve clocked a no-decision going six innings giving up an unearned run on one hit with a season-high six strikeouts.



Tomorrow, the two teams will settle the score with the rubber match of the three-game series. LHP Mike Antonini (4-1, 4.88) will make his seventh start and the Fisher Cats will counter with Major League rehabber LHP Ricky Romero (0-0, 0.00). The game is slated for a 6:35 first pitch and the radio broadcast on Newsradio 1290 WNBF begins at 6:20 with the Horizons Federal Credit Union Pre-Game Show.



Wednesday, May 13 at N. Hampshire 6:35 pm RHP Dylan Owen (0-3, 5.34) vs. LHP Ricky Romero (0-0, 0.00)

Thursday, May 14 Trenton 6:35 pm RHP Jose Sanchez (1-3, 6.53) vs. RHP Zach McAllister (1-1, 2.67)

Friday, May 15 Trenton 7:05 pm RHP Ryan Coultas (2-1, 2.67) vs. LHP Wilkins Arias (0-1, 2.95)

Saturday, May 16 Trenton 5:05 pm RHP Tobi Stoner (1-0, 0.00) vs. TBA


Mike Antonini:

2008: Opened season with Savannah (Low-A)...worked 5.2 innings or more in all but three of his 13 starts...RH hitters batted just .204 against him with Savannah (Low-A)...Called up to St. Lucie (High-A) at the beginning of June, working 5 innings or more in all 7 starts...Finished season with Binghamton (AA)...Pitched for Leones de Ponce in the Puerto Rican Winter League (9 G, 8 GS, 2-0, 3.45 ERA, 47 IP)...Los Leones de Ponce won the Caribbean Series.

2007: Appeared in just five games with Kingsport (Rookie) to open career before being called up to Brooklyn (SS-A) 7/25...Worked eight scoreless innings in first four outings with Brooklyn (SS-A) 7/27-8/19.

Personal: 18th round pick out of Georgia College & State University... 7-6, 3.97 ERA in 15 GS as a senior with Division II Georgia C & S Bobcats...41st round pick of Philadelphia in 2006 as a junior...Played two seasons at Gloucester Community College in Sewell, NJ in 2004 and 2005...Gloucester won the NJCAA National Championship in 2005


Lucy:


Francisco Pena hit a grand slam in the first inning to get the St. Lucie Mets off and running as they doubled-up on the Palm Beach Cardinals 12-6 on Tuesday at Roger Dean Stadium.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Carlos Guzman added two-run homers and Ike Davis had a two-run double for the Mets, who have won two in a row after snapping a three-game skid.
Manuel Alvarez (1-0) relieved Bradley Holt in the fifth inning to record his first win of the season

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/may/13/st-lucie-routs-cardinals/?partner=RSS


Gnats:


TUESDAY'S SCORE: Savannah 3, Bowling Green 2

FOR THE RECORD: Savannah 17-14, Bowling Green 16-16

SEEING STARS: There were more total errors (six) than runs (five) and only eight hits total as the Sand Gnats played a cleaner game and emerged with a road victory in Bowling Green, Ky. The lone earned run was registered against Bowling Green starter Joseph Cruz (0-1) as the Gnats took advantage of fielding and throwing errors by the Hot Rod defense. Designated hitter Raul Reyes scored the winning run after his leadoff double in the fifth, Kai Gronauer's single and a fielding error. Savannah is just one-half game behind Greenville and Lexington (each 18-14) in the South Atlantic League Southern Division standings.

DECISION MAKING: Pitchers were the individual standouts, as Savannah starter Eric Beaulac (2-1, 2.81 ERA) struck out six and yielded three hits in five innings. Kyle Allen (second save) produced four innings of stellar relief.

GNATS GNOTES: Savannah is now 8-7 on the road and 9-7 at home. The Gnats started the week by releasing right-handed reliever Wendy Rosa, who also played in Savannah last season. Rosa, 22, was 0-1 in 13 innings over eight games with 17 hits allowed, 14 earned runs, 12 walks against 12 strikeouts and a team-high 9.69 ERA.

ON DECK: Savannah and Bowling Green will play the third game of their four-game series tonight at 8:05 (Eastern time). The Gnats will be on the road until May 20 when they host Bowling Green.


HOW THEY SCORED

Savannah 3rd - With one out, Kai Gronauer walked and took second on Juan Lagares' single to left. Jordany Valdespin hit into a 3-6 fielder's choice to erase Lagares at second, but Gronauer scored and Valdespin advanced to second on shortstop Tim Beckham's throwing error. Rafael Fernadez reached on Beckham's fielding error, and Valdespin scored and Fernandez took second on first baseman Michael Sheridan's throwing error. 2-0 Sand Gnats.

Bowling Green 4th - With one out, Jake Jefferies walked and took second on Isaias Velasquez's single to left. Eric Beaulac struck out Sheridan. Michael McCormick reached on second baseman Josh Satin's fielding error, allowing Jefferies and Velasquez to score. Kyeung Kang walked. The runners advanced on Beaulac's wild pitch before Jason Tweedy flew out. Tied 2-2.

Savannah 5th - Raul Reyes led off with a ground-rule double to left. Gronauer singled to right, putting Reyes on third. Lagares reaching on a fielding error by second baseman Velasquez, as Reyes scored and Gronauer took second. After Valespin struck out, pitcher Tommy Rafferty replaced Joseph Cruz. Fernandez singled to center for bases loaded. Eric Campbell popped out in foul territory to first baseman Sheridan, and Gronauer was thrown out at home. 3-2 Sand Gnats.
http://www.savannahnow.com/node/722058