Mets Minors Recap: Syracuse Uses Bullpen Game After Ervin Santana Scratch

Scranton (62-46) 6, Syracuse (53-55) 3 Box

• RHP Brooks Pounders (0-1, 9.28 ERA): 2.2 IP, 2 H, R, K, 4 BB
• RHP Paul Sewald (3-3, 3.69 ERA): 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, K
• RHP Matt Blackham (0-0, 0.00 ERA): 1 IP, H, 0 R,
• RHP Tim Peterson (2-6, 2.76 ERA): 1.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 K, BB
• LHP Ryan O’Rourke (1-3, 3.66 ERA): .1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, K

With Ervin Santana scratched and on call-up duty if the Mets traded away Zack Wheeler or Noah Syndergaard, Pounders made his first start since 2017 as the Mets decided to go with a bullpen game. He struggled with his command with only 28 out of his 57 pitches finding the strike zone. Sewald has a 0.40 ERA at the Mets’ home field, NBT Stadium, compared to a 6.85 mark on the road. Peterson found success upon returning to Syracuse, but has struggled recently, posting a 4.91 ERA over his last ten games.

• SS Ruben Tejada: 1-3, R, BB | .358/.432/.522
• 2B Arismendy Alcantara: 1-4 | .292/.364/.493
• LF Travis Taijeron: 1-1, 2 RBI, R, BB | . 240/.377/.564

The three certainties in life: death, taxes, and Ruben Tejada racking up base hits. The 29-year-old continued his hot hitting, getting on base two more times yesterday. Alcantara is hitting .382/.432/.676 over his last ten games and has been outstanding since receiving a promotion to Syracuse in late May. Rather expectingly, Taijeron ranks in the top-1o in the International League in homers(7th), walks(9th), and strikeouts (2nd).

Erie (60-45) 5, Binghamton (55-50) 1 Box

• RHP Tony Dibrell (0-3, 9.82 ERA): 5 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 K, BB
• RHP Ryder Ryan (2-1, 4.02 ERA): 2 IP, o H, 0 R, 0 K, 3 BB
• RHP Stephen Villines (0-1, 1.15 ERA): 2 IP, H, 0 R

Dibrell has been roughed up since his promotion to Binghamton. He pitched well through the first four frames, but faltered in the fifth. Overall, he didn’t strike out many Tigers but induced plenty of ground-balls. Excluding two times where he had to “open”, Ryan has a 2.00 ERA. With a quality fastball-slider combination, he could wind up in the Mets’ pen as soon as next season. Villines has been lights-out since being sent back down to Binghamton.

• SS Andres Gimenez: 1-3, 2B | .245/.308/.370
• 1B Patrick Mazeika: 2-4, RBI |.257/.323/.446

In what seemed to be a theme last night, another Mets minor-league team wasn’t great with runners in scoring position. Even though eight out of the nine Binghamton hitters recorded base knocks, they finished 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position collectively. Gimenez has a .784 OPS in July, his highest mark in a month this season.

St.Lucie (58-49) 9, Palm Beach (48-56) 3 Box

• RHP Joe Cavallaro (5-3, 3.90 ERA): 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 8 K, BB
• RHP Marcel Renteria (1-2, 4.18 ERA): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K, BB
• RHP Briam Campusano (1-1, 2.61 ERA): .2 IP, 2 H, R, K
• LHP Andrew Mitchell (2-0, 2.29 ERA): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K

After a rough start to his season, Cavallaro has a 2.93 ERA over his last ten outings, lowering his ERA to an acceptable 3.90 mark. This was the third consecutive start that he went at least five innings without allowing more than two runs. He whiffed eight batters, a season-high. Cavallaro, who pitched a little bit for the major-league spring training team this spring, now has a 3.55 ERA since being moved back into the rotation. Mitchell has a 5.06 ERA in ten second-half appearances.

• C Dan Rizzie: 4-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R, BB | .258/.327/.326

The Mets scored early and often, scoring a run apiece in the first and second inning, two in the third, and four in the fourth. Rizzie paced the Mets offense with a four-hit night, his first of the season. He also plated two runs. His current .326 slugging percentage represents a career-high.

In his first game back with the St.Lucie Mets, Jacob Zanon tallied two hits and scored a run. Wagner Lagrange has found a liking to the Florida State League. In ten games with St.Lucie Mets, he’s accumulated 24 total bases, eight RBIs, and is the owner of a .375/.419/.600 slash line.

Lowell (27-15) 6 Brooklyn(25-17) 2 Box F/7 Game 1

• RHP Frank Valentino (1-2, 4.33 ERA): 2.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 4 K, BB
• RHP Dan Goggin (2-0, 2.50 ERA): 2.1 IP, H, 0 R, 2 K, BB
• RHP Nelson Leon (1-1, 5.91 ERA): 2 IP, 2 H, R, 2 K

Valentino dealt with plenty of trouble on the basepaths, as he recorded the same amount of outs and ducks on the pond. After getting through the first two innings relatively unscathed, the third inning proved to be his undoing. After five of the first seven batters reached base and three runs scored, Edgardo Alfonzo yanked him in favor in Dan Gaggin. Gaggin didn’t fare much, allowing two of the inherited runners to score.

• SS Wilmer Reyes: 2-3, R | .345/.369/.517

Much like their fellow minor-league affiliates, the Cyclones weren’t able to generate much offense. Reyes was the exception, tallying two hits and scoring a run. Jose Mena‘s playing time could be cut back as Phil Capra was sent to help the Cyclones’ squad. Yoel Romero has a .351 batting average in his last ten games.

Lowell (28-15) 4 Brooklyn(25-18) 3 Box F/7 Game 2

• RHP Mitch Ragan (1-2, 1.99 ERA): 3 IP, 3 H, R, 5 K
• RHP Jared Biddy (2-0, 0.00 ERA): 2 IP, 2 H, R, K
• RHP Matt Mullenbach (1-1, 1.88 ERA): 2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 K, BB

The Mets fell short in both games in their doubleheader. The pitching consisted of all 2019 signees. The Mets 2019 15th-rounder Ragan started the second game with three effective innings and a career-high five strikeouts before handing the ball off the bullpen. Biddy hurled two effective frames, but Mullenbach, who the Mets signed as an undrafted free agent, couldn’t finish out the game, allowing two runs in the final frame.

• RF Raul Beracierta 1-2, RBI, BB | .258/.310/.288

All of Brookyln’s damage took place during a three-run fourth. The Mets only managed one hit in the inning, but a bases-loaded walk by Beracierta, a hit-by-pitch off of Jake Mangum, and ground-out by Yoel Romero led to three runs coming across the plate

Bluefield (20-19) 5, Kingsport (17-22) 1 Box

• RHP Cesar Loaiza (1-2, 4.06 ERA): 1.2 IP, 0 H, 3 R, K, 4 BB

Loaiza couldn’t control the ball, allowing four walks in the second inning, which led to three earned runs all on his ledger. Only half of his pitches (21/42) were for strikes. Ramon Guzman saved the bullpen with 4.2 innings, although he allowed two runs to score.

• DH Francisco Alvarez: 1-4 | .367/.457/.595

Alvarez continued to fare just fine against the Appalachian League pitching, tacking on another hit. However, it’s the Mets’ other top prospect in the lineup that has struggled. Brett Baty has only collected six hits over his last 32 at-bats. Even though he’s drawn 11 walks in 66 at-bats at Kingsport, he’s also struck out 25 times. Andres Regnault, one of the top performers in the DSL last year, has only drawn three walks all season.

GCL Cardinals (13-18) 3, GCL Mets (17-13) 1 Box

• Zach Ashford: 1-3, R |.235/.336/.361

The Mets couldn’t muster much on the offense side, combining for seven hits, three coming off the bat of Kenedy Corona. They weren’t able to string any hits together, going 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Ashford has a .928 OPS since being demoted to the Gulf Coast League, which should be expected from a recent college draftee. Mitch Ghelfi continued his rehab with the GCL Mets; he’s 2-for-9 in three games.

• LHP Franklin Parra (1-0, 2.53 ERA): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K, BB

A guy to keep an eye on: Mets’ 2017 11th rounder, Franklin Parra. Parra spun two scoreless frames yesterday, making it the third consecutive start that the 19-year-old has done that. Taking out his July 17th outing against the Marlins, all of Parra’s starts have been scoreless outings. It’ll be really interesting to track him when the Mets ramp him up to a full starter’s workload. Jeffrey Colon and Brailin Gonzalez combined to allow three go-ahead runs in the ninth inning.

DSL I Cardinals (29-15) 7, DSL Mets 1 (23-22) 1 Box  

• RHP Kevin Hernandez (1-0, 4.91 ERA): 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 5 K, BB

Hernandez excelled in his first start of the season. He went a season-long four innings, striking out five Cardinals.

• SS Luis Castillo:  1-4 |.263/.380/.331

The Mets couldn’t drive anyone home, going 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Right-handed hitting outfielder Freddy Valdez has a .995 OPS versus lefties this season. Jhonny Ventura stole his first two bases of the season.

DSL Cubs 2 (31-19) 4, DSL Mets 2(23-27) 3 Box 

• RHP Luis Moreno (1-1, 3.49 ERA): 3.1 IP, H, 0 R, 2 K, BB

Moreno couldn’t get anything going, pitching to a line that resembles a struggling relief pitcher more than a starting pitcher. Melvin Arteaga threw 3.1 scoreless innings in long relief.

• LF Dyron Campos: 1-4, R | .309/.377/.398

The Mets took advantage of the Cubs’ wildness, taking five extra bases courtesy of wild pitches. 19-year-old Carlos Dominguez leads the team with his .874 OPS.