Minor League Game Results

Unforced errors an issue in Syracuse Mets 8-1 loss to Buffalo on Saturday Night

The Syracuse Mets continued their tough stretch of play against the Buffalo Bisons (Triple-A affiliate, Toronto Blue Jays) on Saturday night, falling 8-1 in the penultimate game of the six-game series. The Mets have now lost four out of the first five games in the series and eight out of their last 11 games overall.

Buffalo (58-51) got right to work on Saturday night, scoring twice in the top of the first. Otto Lopez began the game with a single, promptly advancing up to second on a wild pitch. After a Spencer Horwitz strikeout, Vinny Capra slapped a single into left that scored Lopez and made it 1-0 in favor of the Bisons. They weren’t done scoring in the inning. Consecutive walks to Zack Collins and Cullen Large loaded up the bags with one out, followed by Nathan Lukes being hit by a pitch to make it 2-0 and complete the inning’s scoring.

After that, the game settled into a pitcher’s duel, as neither team would score again until the seventh inning. While both teams were held scoreless, it wasn’t for lack of chances. Buffalo left seven runners on base in the first six innings, while Syracuse (48-62) left six on base in the first six innings, including two runners on base in the third and fifth innings.

In the seventh inning, a tightly-contested ballgame opened up in favor of the road team. Buffalo scored four times in the top of the seventh inning to really put Syracuse behind the eight ball, highlighted by a two-out, three-run home run from Lukes that turned a 3-0 game into 6-0 just like that. It was just the second extra-base hit of the game for the Bisons out of seven total hits up until that point.

Syracuse did get a run back in the bottom of the seventh when Deven Marrero hit a solo home run with one out in the inning. However, the Mets would leave two more runners on base in the inning, putting a capper on consecutive frustrating days at the plate. Syracuse has scored just two combined runs in the past two games, leaving 17 runners on base in the process. The Mets left eight runners on base total in Saturday night’s game. Syracuse has not lacked for hits the past two hits, rapping out 15 combined hits between Friday and Saturday.

Buffalo put a finishing touch on their 8-1 win with a two-run single from Zack Collins with two outs in the top of the eighth. Five of the eight runs for the Bisons on Saturday night came with two outs. Syracuse also committed another error in the eighth inning that extended the frame for Buffalo. The Mets tied a season-high with five errors in Saturday night’s game.

Syracuse is home all week for a six-game series against the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, the Buffalo Bisons. Sunday afternoon’s game is slated to start at 1:05 p.m. David Peterson is scheduled to start the game for the Mets. 

Binghamton Rumble Ponies drop another to the Curve

Down 3-1 in the ninth, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies tacked on one run in ninth but left runners on first and third in the frame and fell to the Altoona Curve 3-2 on Saturday night. Altoona has now taken four out five games in the series.

Jeremy Vasquez walked with one out in the ninth which led to a Matt Winaker single putting runners on first and third. Wyatt Young drove in Vasquez to cut the Curve lead to 3-2. The Rumble Ponies then could not capitalize as Johneshwy Fargas struck out and Ronny Mauricio grounded out to second to end the game. Altoona got on the board in the first courtesy of a Malcom Nuñez sacrifice fly plating Nick Gonzales.

Nuñez also hit the go-ahead home run in the sixth putting the Curve ahead 2-1.

Matt Winaker’s RBI single in the fourth tied the game at one as Luke Ritter came around to score. Winaker finished the night 2-3 with a walk and RBI while reaching base three times.

Brooklyn Cyclones downed by Wilmington

Despite a 2-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning, the Cyclones dropped a 4-2 decision to Wilmington by allowing four runs to cross in the sixth inning against LHP Nathan Lavender. 

INF Jose Peroza homered and OF Alex Ramirez collected two hits. RHP Christian Scott made his High-A debut, tossing four scoreless innings. 

Wilmington starter LHP Lucas Knowles earned the victory, tallying a quality start with two earned runs allowed over six frames. The Blue Rocks were led by 1B Drew Mendoza led the way with three hits.

St. Lucie Mets homer 3 more times, cruise to 8-1 win at Clearwater

The St. Lucie Mets launched three more home runs on Saturday night in an 8-1 win against the Clearwater Threshers at BayCare Ballpark.

The Mets homered four times on Friday, including twice in the ninth inning for a comeback win. They picked up right where they left on Saturday. Chase Estep, the second batter of the game, crushed a home run to right field off Gunner Mayer (1-4) for a 1-0 lead. It was the first pro homer for Estep (9th round Kentucky) and his first hit with St. Lucie.

Justin Guerrera hit a solo home run in the second inning to put the Mets up 2-1. It was his ninth of the season.

Raul Beracierta hit a two-out, two-run homer in the fifth inning to put the Mets up 5-1. It was the Mets 10th homer of the series and seventh in two games. It was the first homer of the series for Beracierta and his 12th of the year.

The Mets have now hit 114 homers in 106 games this season. The team record is 137 set in 2005 (134 games). The Mets have 25 games remaining.

Four Mets pitchers combined to the limit the Threshers to one unearned run and just six hits. Trey McLoughlin, making a spot start for the first time this season, pitched 3.2 innings, scattering three hits and one unearned run. He struck out three.

Josh Walker (1-0) pitched the next 2.1 innings with three strikeouts to get the win in his third MiLB rehab appearance.

Paul Gervase pitched two scoreless innings with four strikeouts and Michael Krauza struck out two in a perfect ninth to close out the game.

Beracierta went 3 for 5 with three RBI. It was fourth straight multi-hit game.

Estep went 2 for 4 with two runs and Tanner Murphy was 2 for 5 with two RBI and stolen base.