6/8/09

Minors Stuff

The Herd:

The Buffalo Bisons, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets, will hold their annual School Kids Day Game on Monday, June 8. Over 11,000 children from Northern Pennsylvania to Niagara Falls are expected for a 10:35 a.m. first pitch against the Indianapolis Indians.

Among the educational themes for the game will be the American Heart Association’s “Empower ME” program which emphasizes healthy lifestyles for children. New York State 529 College Savings Program will feature the importance of secondary education. The Bisons and Buffalo News also worked over the last few months on a “Newspapers in Education” Program that has featured the use of technology to connect with the community.


B-Mets:

Tobi Stoner threw a season-high eight innings but Roy Merritt could not hold down the lead in the ninth as the Connecticut Defenders took the game 10-6 and the series 3-1. D.J. Wabick went 3-4 with two doubles and two RBI for his fifth three-hit game of the year.

Connecticut trailed by one but scored six runs, all unearned, in the top of the ninth to take a 10-5 lead. Eddy Martinez-Esteve began the rally with a single and Sharlon Schoop reached first on a throwing error by Ruben Tejada on a slow hit grounder to the right side. Martinez-Esteve reached third on the error. Jackson Williams then tied the game with a base knock to center. After a walk to pinch-hitter Brock Bond, Merritt hit Brad Boyer with a 3-2 pitch to force in Schoop and give the Defenders the lead. Mike McBryde then followed with a grand slam to left to put the finishing touches on the inning. It was McBryde’s second home run of the day and third of the year.

Shawn Bowman jacked his seventh home run of the season off Connecticut starter Jesse Foppert in the second to tie the game at one.

Binghamton (23-32) took the lead in the third as Stoner got the inning rolling with a single. After Carl Loadenthal walked, Nick Evans singled to load the bases. Josh Thole followed with a two-run double over McBryde’s head in center to put the B-Mets up 3-1.

Wabick lengthened the lead to 5-2 on a two-run double of his own in the fifth off Defenders’ reliever Geivy Garcia. Both runs were charged to Foppert who allowed five runs in 4.1 innings.

Connecticut (32-25) used back-to-back home runs in the top of the sixth off Stoner to cut the lead to 5-4. Brett Pill went deep for the second straight game for his sixth home run of the year. Brandon Crawford hit his second home run of the season two pitches later over the center field wall.
Josh Petersen hit his second home run of the year, a pinch-hit solo shot to lead off the ninth off Matt Yourkin, to yield the 10-6 final.

Stoner struck out a season-best six Defender hitters in his eight-inning start. He did give up three solo homers after only allowing two in his first 32 innings of work this season. He gave up four runs on six hits in the no-decision.

Merritt was pinned with his fourth blown save and fourth loss. Dan Griffin picked up the win by working scoreless seventh and eighth innings for Connecticut.



Tuesday, June 9 Harrisburg 7:05 pm RHP Ryan Coultas (4-2, 2.59) vs. TBA

Wednesday, June 10 Harrisburg 7:05 pm RHP Brad Holt (0-0, 2.84) vs. LHP Justin Jones (2-7, 5.05)

Thursday, June 11 Harrisburg 10:35 am RHP Jenrry Mejia (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Erik Arnesen (2-2, 3.48)

Friday, June 12 at Trenton 7:05 pm LHP Mike Antonini (4-1, 5.47) vs. TBA



Gnats:

The Sand Gnats scored five unanswered runs to pull within two but it wasn't enough as the GreenJackets hung on for a, 7-5, win Sunday afternoon. Savannah pitching gave up seven runs but only three of those seven runs were earned due to three Gnats errors.

Down 7-0 entering the sixth, the Gnats (26-30) started a rally against starter Aaron King (2-3), who to that point had not allowed a Gnats hit. After a walk to Luis Alen, Matt Gaski singled for Savannah’s first hit of the afternoon. Gaski’s single was followed by a Rafael Fernandez walk and the Gnats were in business with the bases loaded and no outs.

Jefry Marte hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Alen from third and advance the runners to second and third with one out. Josh Satin followed Marte with a single and drove in Gaski to pull the Gnats within five. After Ratliff fouled out, King was removed from the game in favor of Eric Stolp.

Ralph Henriquez hit a ball to short that Ehire Adrianza let roll into left-center field, which allowed Fernandez to score. Wilmer Flores singled into right field to drive in Satin from second to bring the Gnats within three.

Savannah loaded the bases in a rain-soaked eighth inning and had Flores at the plate with two away. A past ball by the catcher Matt Klimas allowed Fernandez to score from third and bring the Gnats within two. The 17-year-old Flores popped out to end the inning.

The Gnats brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth but Daniel Runzler honed in and recorded his 11th save of the season. Chris Schwinden (3-3) suffered the loss.

Gaski finished the game 2-for-4 to run his hitting streak to six games. Rhiner Cruz and Manager Edgar Alfonzo were both ejected from the game in the eighth after Cruz hit Charlie Culberson.


Draft:

John Sickles Mock Draft:

New York

72) Ryan Buch, RHP, Monmouth

103) Ruben Sierra Jr, OF, Puerto Rico HS

COMMENT: The Mets director didn't show up, so I did this. Buch had one of the best arms still on the board, perhaps a bit raw for a college guy but the type of pitcher the Mets seem to be interested in. He is also local with a New Jersey connection. This is also an organization that loves raw tools types, and Sierra fits that category very well

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