Mets Minors Recap: Szapucki Continues Strong Campaign

Columbus Clippers (20-14) 3, Syracuse Mets (20-15) 1 BOX SCORE

• 3B Jed Lowrie (.167/.231/.292): 0-for-4, 2 K
• SS Luis Guillorme (.317/.491/.390): 2-for-4, 2B
• RF/CF Rajai Davis (.292/.352/.417): 2-for-4, 2B

The Mets bats were quiet on Saturday, as they only scored one run. Rajai Davis and Luis Guillorme were the only Mets to record two or more hits, and they only recorded six as a group. The other two belonged to Tim Tebow and Danny Espinosa. The rehabbing Jed Lowrie went 0-for-4 with 2 Ks. As a team, they left 15 runners on base.

• RHP Chris Flexen (2-2, 4.44): 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 6 K
• LHP P.J. Conlon (0-0, 0.00): IP, 3 BB, 2 K
• RHP Steve Villines (0-0, 0.00): IP, H, 3 K

Chris Flexen turned in a solid start for the Mets, keeping them in the game for the duration of his start. While ping-ponging from New York and Syracuse constantly, Flexen has maintained a solid resume in Triple-A so far this season, posting a 4.44 ERA. P.J. Conlon worked another clean inning, and still has not allowed a run so far this year. Steve Villines also has not allowed a run lately, but for him, its since being promoted from Binghamton to Syracuse.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (16-18) 6, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (19-12) 4 BOX SCORE

• SS Andres Gimenez (.232/.293/.366): 2-for-5
• 3B Sam Haggerty (.276/.408/.400): 3-for-5, 2B, RBI
• 1B Patrick Mazeika (.247/.330/.351): 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI

Andres Gimenez, still looking to get his season on track, recorded two hits on the day for the Rumble Ponies, but they dropped back-to-back games to New Hampshire. Patrick Mazeika, much like Gimenez, needs to get his season on track and took steps to doing so today. His first home run of the season came in the eighth inning, but it wasn’t enough to will the Ponies back into it for a victory.

• RHP Chris Mazza (0-1, 4.91): 4.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 8 K
• RHP Ryder Ryan (0-1, 6.91): 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, K
• RHP Adonis Uceta (0-2, 3.29): 3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 K

Saturday was a tough one for the Ponies staff all around. Chris Mazza was knocked around a little bit, allowing nine base runners in just under five innings of work. Mazza did end up striking out eight hitters, which will do a lot of justice for the stat line. Ryder Ryan continued a sloppy start to the season, upping his ERA to a shade below 7.00 in a rough 1.1 innings of work. Adonis Uceta was handed the loss after, much like the two before him, allowed two runs during his day of work.

Charlotte Stone Carbs (18-18) 8, St. Lucie Mets (18-16) 2 BOX SCORE

• 1B Jeremy Vasquez (.276/.398/.371): 3-for-4
• SS Manny Rodriguez (.273/.392/.348): 2-for-3, RBI

The Mets could not muster much offense on on Saturday, recording just seven hits on the game. Jeremy Vasquez accounted for almost half of them, singling three times. Manny Rodriguez recorded two other singles, and drove in a run. Carlos Cortes drove in the other run with, you guessed it, a single. The Mets singled on all seven of their hits.

• RHP Luc Rennie (2-2, 5.02): 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, ER, 2 BB, K
• RHP Marcel Renteria (0-1, 10.66): 0.0 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 2 BB
• RHP Blake Taylor (2-0, 2.93): 2 IP, BB

Its safe to say that it was not Marcel Renteria’s night. Luc Rennie was solid for the Mets, only allowing two runs, one earned, in five innings of work. Blake Taylor and Yeizo Campos combined to work four scoreless innings. Sandwiched in between them was Marcel Renteria, who took one for the team, to put it nicely. He gave up SIX runs and didn’t record a single out. Renteria has struggled so far this season, and that outing did not help his case so far.

Columbia Fireflies (11-23) 6, Rome Braves (15-19) 2 F/7 BOX SCORE

• SS Ronny Mauricio (.264/.310/.306): 1-for-2, 2 BB
• CF Gerson Molina (.313/.389/.625): 1-for-2, HR, 2 RBI
• 2B Chandler Avant (.164/.207/.218): 1-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI

The Fireflies won a rain-shortened game in Columbia on Saturday, beating the Braves 6-2. The offense was powered by two men in particular: Chandler Avant and Gerson Molina. Avant ripped a double in the third, clearing the bases and driving in three runs. Gerson Molina knocked out his first home run of the season, and kept his strong start going. Ronny Mauricio reached base three times, and Mark Vientos walked twice.

• LHP Thomas Szapucki (0-0, 1.23): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 2 K
• RHP Christian James (1-4, 5.81):  4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 4 K

Thomas Szapucki’s rehab continued against Rome, completing two scoreless innings. He induced three grounders, a fly out, and struck out two. His ERA is now at 1.23 on the young season. Christian James piggybacked Szapucki, allowing two runs in his four innings of work. James saw minimal traffic on the base paths, not walking any hitters and only allowing three hits. Due to the rain-shortened game, the Fireflies bullpen got the night off.