Press Release:
AKRON, OH – The Akron RubberDucks used two sparkling defensive plays and a go-ahead home run by Bobby Bradley to defeat the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, 9-5, on Sunday afternoon at Canal Park. Binghamton infielder Levi Michael compiled a four-hit game, but it was not enough to prevent Binghamton from getting swept in the four-game series.
Akron flashed the leather in the third to prevent the Ponies from adding to their two-run lead. With a runner aboard, Josh Allen hit a fly ball to the right-field alley. Andrew Calica, sprinting from center, made a full-extension, diving grab to rob Allen and end the inning. In the fifth, Allen hit a pop up in foul ground with two aboard. Bobby Bradley dashed from first and dove into the front row to make the inning-ending catch.
Buoyed by his defensive gem, Bradley changed the game in the bottom of the fifth, blasting a two-run homer to right with two outs against Harol Gonzalez. Bradley’s shot, his team-leading 18th of the season, gave Akron a 4-3 lead.
The Rumble Ponies had grabbed an early advantage against Akron starter Triston McKenzie. Allen delivered an RBI single in Binghamton’s two-run first inning before Jhoan Urena launched a solo homer in the fourth, his sixth longball of the season.
After falling behind on Bradley’s homer the Rumble Ponies pulled within a run on back-to-back two-out doubles from Levi Michael and Kevin Taylor in the seventh. Binghamton put two aboard in the eighth, but Argenis Angulo retired Joey Wong to end the threat.
Akron salted the game away by scoring four times in the eighth against relievers Stephen Nogosek and David Roseboom.
Binghamton starter Harol Gonzalez (0-1) suffered the loss in his Double-A debut. The righty was touched for five runs on eight hits over six innings. He struck out five and walked two. McKenzie (4-2) earned the win in 5-2/3 innings of work
POSTGAME NOTES: Tim Tebow’s single to center in the eighth extended his hitting streak to a season-high 11 games, one shy of a career-high (12 with St. Lucie (High-A) in 2017)…Levi Michael matched a career-high with his four-hit game…the Rumble Ponies were swept for the sixth time this season
Two Things
ReplyDeleteFirstly, the Mike Freire recent story on Dominic Smith. Here's my quick take. The Mets have a few young players here that have skill sets that are (I think) good but very raw. Dominic may be one. It's difficult to assess raw talent and say with conviction early on that these players will all mature and be what the minor league levels seem to have indicated that they will be. It's just too early to know in other words, but I do share you concern here with Dominic Smith.
The upside is that soon most of this team may be really young, and with a new to MLB manager learning his craft at the same time. I like this concept a lot because other avenues here have not worked out and I find this path most desirable.
Secondly, I reported yesterday and as we have all probably heard that there was an online rumor that the Mets were looking at lefty starter Drew Pomeranz from Boston. I watch some baseball, Drew has hardly at all been used by Boston this season, after coming off an unusually successful season for him in 2017. All his 2018 stats indicate that something isn't right. He will be 30 years old in November, and is sporting a nearly 7.00 ERA, with way more hits against him than innings pitched, and a bad WHIP to boot.
You have to remember here that the NY Mets are building for the 2019/2020 seasons and then beyond. With this in mind, lefty starter Jalen Beeks may make more sense. With one more top-end starter, the Red Sox will have a rotation that includes one of the best lefty starters in baseball today, Chris Sale, a CY Young Award winner in Porcello, a young and oncoming lefty phenom E. Rodriquez, possibly a new Mets righthander, and in the five slot D. Price who has struggled a little lately, but can easily enough right his own ship second half. It would be tough for the Yankees to top this Boston rotation. But then again, they are the Yankees, so never count them out.
What I am saying here is this, if the Red Sox want one of our really decent starters, then let them send the Mets something good.
Anonymous, teams like the Red Sox are looking for a strategic edge to win the World Series - a pitcher who might well make them a prohibitive favorite has to be worth a kings ransom ++.
ReplyDeleteSo, we shoot very high or we pass. Some team will offer the sun, moon and stars for Jake or Thor.