Minors Stuff

The Herd:

It took until June, but Nelson Figueroa finally has a win to his credit.
The Buffalo Bisons pitcher recorded victory No. 1 in 2009 on Tuesday as he led his team to a 4-2 win over the Norfolk Tides before 3,761 in Harbor Park.
Figueroa has had little luck on his side this season. He came into the game with an 0-4 record but with a respectable 3.54 ERA.
Figueroa scattered six hits over 7-2/3 innings. He allowed only one run and struck out three while walking only one. Click here for the box score.
The Bisons jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Wily Mo Pena drove home Jesus Feliciano with a two-out single.
Buffalo padded its lead with three runs in the fourth. Javier Valentin hit a lead-off single. Emil Brown reached on an error, and Mike Lamb doubled to right to drive home Valentin. Brown scored when Robinson Cancel reached on an error. Lamb later scored on a balk.

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bisons/story/691131.html


B-Mets:


For Immediate Release
Date: June 2, 2009 Contact: Matt McCabe, mmccabe@bmets.com

Stoner Strong Again, But B-Mets Lose Pitchers’ Duel 3-2

Starter Tobi Stoner clocked his fourth quality start in five chances Tuesday night at Hadlock Field, firing 6.2 innings of three-run work, but Portland’s Junichi Tazawa was better, going a season-long seven innings allowing two runs in the Sea Dogs 3-2 win over Binghamton. Neither pitcher allowed a baserunner in the first four innings.

Lucas Duda broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning when he smashed a 2-0 offering from Tazawa over the right-center field wall for his third home run. It was the fifth homer that Tazawa has allowed in 2009.

Stoner did not allow a hit until the sixth inning when Reid Engel singled to shallow left-center. The base hit moved Argenis Diaz, who walked to start the inning, up to second. Leadoff man Ryan Khoury was up next and bunted the two men into scoring position. Mark Wagner was next up and slapped a double past the drawn in third baseman Jake Eigsti to score both runners and put the Sea Dogs in front 2-1. After Stoner got the second out of the frame, Aaron Bates doubled to deep center to score Wagner from second, lengthening the lead to 3-1.

Down two, Binghamton (22-27) rallied for a run in the proceeding inning. Josh Thole singled to send his hitting streak to six games to open the seventh against Tazawa. Duda followed with a double into the right-field corner to put runners at second and third. D.J. Wabick strode up next and sliced a sacrifice fly to the warning track in left to score Thole from second to make it a one-run game. However, that was all the B-Mets would get in the frame.

Richie Lentz and T.J. Large threw scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth frames to secure the win for Portland (25-26). Large was awarded his fourth save in as many chances for the ninth.

Stoner fell to 1-2 on the season with the loss. He walked four men for the second straight start to equal a season high. Lefty Roy Merritt threw the final 1.1 innings scoreless, while allowing two hits.

Game three of the four-game set will be played tomorrow night. RHP Ryan Coultas (4-2, 2.55) will get the call for Binghamton and the Sea Dogs will counter with RHP Ryne Lawson (1-3, 5.40). The first pitch is slated for 6:00 and the radio broadcast on Newsradio 1290 WNBF begins at 5:45 with the Horizons Federal Credit Union Pre-Game Show.



Wednesday, June 3 at Portland 6:00 pm RHP Ryan Coultas (4-2, 2.55) vs. RHP Ryne Lawson (1-3, 5.40)

Thursday, June 4 at Portland 12:00 pm RHP Dylan Owen (0-5, 6.97) vs. RHP Adam Mills (1-3, 8.92)

Friday, June 5 Connecticut 7:05 pm RHP Jose Sanchez (1-6, 6.88) vs. TBA

Saturday, June 6 Connecticut G1 5:05 pm LHP Mike Antonini (4-1, 5.95) vs. TBA



THE SEASON SO FAR: The Mets are 21-26 and in last place in the Northern Division, six games behind Connecticut.
WHO'S HOT: C Josh Thole leads the Eastern League with a .369 batting average (58-for-157), which also ranks as the 10th-best overall average in all of Minor League Baseball. In 41 games, he owns 16 doubles, a home run, 22 runs scored and 16 RBIs.
WHO'S NOT: RHP Jose Sanchez struggled early and was forced to leave Sunday's 15-7 loss to Binghamton at New Britain Stadium after just 3 1/3 innings. In the short outing, Sanchez gave up eight runs on 10 hits (including two home runs) and three walks. In 10 starts so far, he is 1-6 with a 6.88 ERA.
DID YOU KNOW?: Binghamton has an affinity for playing close games with 19 already decided by one run. ... OF D.J. Wabick has recorded two hits or more in five consecutive games. ... The B-Mets are 3-10 over their last 13 road games. -

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090601&content_id=5089746&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp


Josh Thole:

CURRENT HITTING STREAK: 5 (9-22) VS. LHP: .400 (18-45) POSITIONS: C (36), DH (3)
LONGEST HITTING STREAK: 6 (4/8-18) VS. RHP: .350 (41-117) IN THE ORDER: 2nd (7), 3rd (32)
THIS SERIES: 1-5, RBI, 2R, BB, SB LAST SERIES: 5-8, RBI, 2 BB HOMESTAND: 8-22, 3 2B, 3 RBI, 4R, 3 BB
PINCH-HITTING: .500 (1-2), BB LAST HR: 5/11 @ NHF RESIDES: Breese, IL
ACQUIRED: Mets’ 13th round pick, 2005 draft (Mater Dei HS) PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 5th season
∗ 2009 NOTES: Non-roster spring training invitee...Rated as the 23rd best prospect in the Mets organization, Baseball America...Has reached base in 37 of 42 games this season...Has hits in 20 of his last 23 games played (.379, 33-87)...Reached base in eight straight plate appearances 5/14-15 (7-7, 3 2B, BB)...First B-Mets player since Josh Pressley (6/17/04 @ AKR) to clock a five-hit game (5/14).
∗ CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 2008: Florida State League All-Star...Had the fifth-best average in the league (.300), third best on-base (.382) and fourth-lowest strikeout-to-plate appearance (1/10.58)...Walked 45 times to just 38 strikeouts with St. Lucie (High-A).
∗ PERSONAL/MISCELLANEOUS NOTES: A catcher in high school, he primarily played first base as a professional until last season


Gnats:


SAVANNAH, Ga. – The first-place Charleston RiverDogs staked their claim to the top spot in the South Atlantic League Southern Division by taking game one of a four-game series, 5-3, in front of 1,089 Tuesday night at Historic Grayson Stadium. With the loss, the Sand Gnats (25-26) fall below the .500 mark for the first time in 2009.

After Luis Alen tied the score at one in the second inning with a single to right that Daniel Brewer misplayed, Charleston countered with a three-run third. David Adams’ two-run double broke a 1-1 tie and Melky Mesa doubled right behind him to extend Charleston’s lead.

Jeff Kaplan (4-2) lost for the first time in more than month and had his shortest outing of the season, surrendering four runs (three earned) with a season-high four walks in four frames. Manny Banuelos (3-2) stymied the Gnats through five innings and tied a season-high with eight strikeouts. He struck out five in a row at one point and set down the last 11 men he faced.

Savannah rallied in the bottom of the seventh, cutting the lead to two on a pair of bases-loaded walks to Jefry Marte and Rafael Fernandez by Casey Erickson. The Gnats had the bases loaded with the tying run in scoring position and Josh Satin at the dish, but he struck out to end the threat.

Pat Venditte notched save No. 15, working the final 1.1 innings. The switch-pitcher struck out Daniel Stegall with two on in the eighth to end a Gnats threat. In the final inning, Venditte induced a groundout from Wilmer Flores with two on to end the game.

Charleston keeps pace with the Rome Braves who won earlier in the evening. Both teams sit atop the SAL South leading Savannah by four games with three weeks left in the first half. The Gnats and ‘Dogs meet again Wednesday night for game two of the homestand.

It’s Website Wednesday tomorrow, so log on to www.sandgnats.com for specials on tickets and merchandise only good for tomorrow night’s contest. For tickets and more information, visit www.sandgnats.com or call 912.351.9150.

Mike Passanisi
Director of Media Relations/Creative Services
Savannah Sand Gnats

General:

Cases of the new H1N1 flu virus have been found in all 50 U.S. states and tests have confirmed the virus in more than 10,000 people across the country, U.S. officials said on Monday