Binghamton earns a split in a twin bill (as always, double headers are a pair of seven inning games), Buffalo gets some stellar pitching, and Brooklyn comes through with a clutch win over a tough opponent. Let’s take a look.
Buffalo 1, Syracuse 0
Here’s the pitching duel we didn’t get Friday night. Chris Schwinden (6IP, 8H, 1BB, 6K), Robbie Carson (2IP, 2H, 1BB, 1K,) and Fernando Cabrera (1IP, 0BB, 1K) combined throw the tidiest ten hitter you’ll ever see. Lucas Duda knocked in the lone run with an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth. George Greer was managing the Herd while Wally Backman cooled his heels (read: was suspended) due to his hilarious ejection from Friday night.
Binghamton 7, Reading 2 (Game 1)
Greg Peavey (7IP, 2R, 1ER, 7H, 2BB, 4K), threw an abridged complete game and gave the B-Mets a chance to win, which they did with a big five run fifth. Every starter but Peavey and Francisco Pena had a hit – just one. How’s that for death by a thousand cuts. Dustin Martine hit a solo homer, knocked in two, and scored twice.
Reading 3, Binghamton 1 (Game 2)
The bats failed in the nightcap, mustering only three hits, and Armando Rodriguez surrendered a pair of solo homers that put the B-Mets in a hole they would not get out of. Wilmer Flores played second and went 0 for 2 with a run scored.
Fort Myers 5, St. Lucie 4
Three Lucie errors in the top of the seventh gave Fort Myers an edge they would not relinquish. Logan Verret got the start and pitched well until his defense betrayed him (6IP, 4R, 2ER, 6H, 1HR, 1BB, 2K). Jack Leathersitch got the loss, giving up an unearned run in two innings of work. Richard Lucas and Alonzo Harris were both 3 for 4 with two runs scored.
Asheville 9, Savannah 1
The Tourists visited home plate in every inning but the eighth, and only as often as twice in the fifth and seventh – so this one must have felt like Chinese Water Torture for the Sand Gants. Marcos Camaerna gave up six runs (five earned), on eight hits (two homers) and a walk while striking out two. Carlos Vasquez wasn’t much help in relief (2IP, 3R, 4H, 1HR, 1BB, 0K). Matt Reynolds (run scored) and Dustin Lawley were both 2 for 4.
Brooklyn 4, Connecticut 1
Hansel Robles struck out eight in seven innings of work, allowing just an unearned run on three hits and no walks. The Cyclones broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh with a three run outburst and never looked back. Brandon Nimmo continues to swing a hot bat, going 2 for 4, with two runs scored. His batting average is now .271. Phillip Evans was 1 for 2 with a run and Kevin Plawecki had an RBI sacrifice fly. Johan Santana gets the ball for the Cyclones today on a rehab start. He is slated to go three innings (weather permitting).
Princeton 7, Kingsport 5 (10 innings)
Robert Gsellman blew a one run lead in the eighth, then gave up a two run homer in the tenth that gave the Rays the lead for good. Gavin Cecchini sat out again after being plunked by a pitch on Thursday. Jeyckol DeLeon went 1 for 4 with a solo homer and two runs scored, and Joe Tushak was 2 for 3.
13 comments
Stick
8/5/2012-8:57am at 8:57 am (UTC -4)
whew. Maybe Nimmo isn’t a bust after all. It was touch and go there for a while!
apagano
8/5/2012-9:25am at 9:25 am (UTC -4)
We really shouldn’t have been too surprised at Nimmo’s slow start. He’s going up against much more experienced players. The fact that he’s been catching up quickly is impressive. And he’s shown a lot of early patience at the plate. Some guys never learn that. I’m not saying he’s going to be a star or anything, but the rumblings about him being a bust were always premature.
SaltyGary
8/5/2012-10:04am at 10:04 am (UTC -4)
I’m with you. I wasn’t concerned at the slow start at all and the way he has come alive hopefully is a great sign of things to come.
Stick
8/5/2012-10:29am at 10:29 am (UTC -4)
I was being sarcastic, making fun of the idiot fringe that keys everything off of a few ABs at age 17 and a pathological hatred of my Lord Sandy.
Bryan
8/5/2012-10:52am at 10:52 am (UTC -4)
Don’t worry stick, I caught on to the sarcasm. His value and rating as a prospect are probably even higher than they were a year ago. At 19 he has the plate discipline of a much older player and his OBP and slugging are both well above the league average in the NYPL. As Peter mentions below the key now is aggressiveness and finding that balance between being patient overall but being aggressive when you get a pitch you can drive.
Peter Duffy
8/5/2012-9:46am at 9:46 am (UTC -4)
I agree. Nimmo has a ton of talent but not as much experience as someone of his draft pedigree is expected to have (thru no fault of his own). His eye has always been good, and you could tell at the start of the season (the de facto start of his career, barring a few days at Kingsport last year) that he was not being aggressive -perhaps for fear of getting himself out. His OBP has always been healthy, and his OPS has been decent as a result all year. Now it looks like the wraps are coming off, and he has the confidence to bump up the aggressiveness at the plate while not sacrificing discipline. I never thought any of this was evidence of being a bust, just a cautious approach.
Sylow59
8/5/2012-12:31pm at 12:31 pm (UTC -4)
Outside of possibly Flores is there any position player above SS-A worth getting hot and bothered over? It’s like the vast wasteland at C, 2B, and all three OF positions.
Stickguy
8/5/2012-1:35pm at 1:35 pm (UTC -4)
nope. not one guy that I can see becoming an above average regular, or would care in the least if he got traded
Sylow59
8/5/2012-2:14pm at 2:14 pm (UTC -4)
A couple of nights ago at Buffalo: the Ghost of Mets OF future – Duda / den Dekker / Kirk. All around 25 and all capable of 150+ Ks/yr and a lefties incapable of hitting LHP. And it’s not like the ML club is awash with OF talent. Bingington and PSL aren’t much better. Same at catcher. Not one in the system to get excited over. Same at 2B. Same at SS. If Omar was so great at recognizing talent they how is it so barren? (duh).
Bryan
8/5/2012-7:30pm at 7:30 pm (UTC -4)
How bout Aderlin Rodriguez. He has big-time power.
Stick
8/5/2012-7:47pm at 7:47 pm (UTC -4)
and so far a 1 trick pony.
Isn’t he still in A ball though? Or did he make it to Bingo?
Bryan
8/5/2012-7:51pm at 7:51 pm (UTC -4)
He’s in St. Lucie, so he’s still young enough to round out his game. Also, the one tool he does have is a prized commodity and he has a ton of it.
Sylow59
8/5/2012-8:19pm at 8:19 pm (UTC -4)
Horrible fielder and K/BB is horrid. He has some major obstacles to overcome.