Stars of the Day:

AAA: Royce Ring

AA: Michel Abreu

A+: Sal Aguilar/Mike Carp…

A: Armand Gaerlan & Will Vogl

SSA: Jacob Ruckle

R (APP): DJ Wabick & Emanuel Garcia
R (GCL): Rain

Norfolk (AAA - International League)

@ International League 6, Pacific Coast League 0

            Royce Ring walked a batter in a scoreless sixth.  I only caught a few of Ring’s pitches, but my first thought when I saw him throw was, “wow, that is a low arm slot.” 

Binghamton (AA - Eastern League)

@ South 5, North 3

            Jorge Padilla was 0-2 while Michel Abreu was 1-3 with a run scored.  Pitching in the bottom of the eighth, Ivan Maldonado helped the South add an insurance run by allowing a couple of hits, including a double in just .1 of an IP.

St. Lucie (A+ - Florida State League)

@ Brevard County 1, St. Lucie 0 (8 innings)

@ Brevard County 6, St. Lucie 3 (7 innings)

            St. Lucie had just eight hits between the two games.  Game 1 was deadlocked at 0-0 after seven thanks to strong work from Sal Aguilar who dealt six shutout innings with three strikeouts and just one walk.  Marcelo Perez worked a scoreless seventh, but allowed the game winner in the bottom of the eighth.  Mike Carp reached base in each of his three plate appearances going 2-2 with a walk. 

            In game two, the Mets jumped out to a 3-0 lead when four of the first five Mets had hits, but St. Lucie didn’t have another baserunner in the game’s final 6.2 innings.    Jesus Flores’ two run double was the big blow in that first inning.  Chuck Smith began the fifth and left the game tied, while reliever Edgar Alfonzo took the loss.

Hagerstown (A – South Atlantic League)

Hickory 7, @ Hagerstown 6

            Trailing 7-3 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Suns rallied for three runs, but came up just short in the end.  Three different Suns had 2 hits.  Armand Gaerlan was 2-3 with two doubles, a walk and 2 runs scored.  Centerfielder Will Vogl added a 2-3 night with 2 walks and 2 RBI while Nick Evans was 2-5.

Brooklyn (SSA – New York Penn League)

Brooklyn 4, @ Williamsport 1

            The Cyclones, who had just four hits, broke a 1-1 with two runs in the top of the fifth.  Both runs scored on wild pitches from Michael Felix. 

            Jacob Ruckle, who pitched well in the FSL earlier this year, dominated the Pirates’ affiliate striking out six and allowing just one run in his eight innings of work. 

Kingsport Mets (R – Appalachian League)

Kingsport 9, @ Elizabethton 2

            Teams that score 7 runs in an inning, as the Mets did in the fourth, usually win.  Each of the first three hitters in the Mets order had two hits.  Emmanuel Garcia was 2-3 with a double and two runs scored, Sean Henry was 2-5 with 2 RBI, while DJ Wabick, who was also 2-5, drove home four runs in the win.  The College of Charleston product, the Mets 25^th round pick a year ago, hit  .303/.368/.358 over 45 games in Kinsport last year, but is now 22 and is a little older than many of his teammates.

GCL Mets (R – Gulf Coast League)

GCL Dodgers @ GCL Mets

            Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like there are more rainouts than games in the GCL.