News Every Day | 06 May 2024, 15:30

Mark Vientos Homers, Nick Lorusso Extends Hit Streak

Sunday was an underwhelming day for the Mets’ minor league affiliates. The Rumble Ponies didn’t play due to inclement weather, and the Mets’ other three affiliates went 1-2, with the three teams combining for just six runs scored. Brooklyn scored five of those runs, the lone affiliate to win.

Despite the lack of offensive production, there were a couple of standout players. Mark Vientos hit a home run, his sixth of the year, in Syracuse’s loss. It was also his 23rd RBI of the year. Additionally, Nick Lorusso extended his hitting streak to six. The 23-year-old had an extremely rough go of it in St. Lucie last year, but he’s off to a terrific start in Brooklyn this year, where Lorusso has a .902 OPS in 71 at-bats.

Let’s look at the rest of the scores and performances around the Mets’ minor league teams on Sunday.

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (17-14) 1, Rochester Red Wings (15-14) 6

BOX SCORE

CF Luisangel Acuña: 1-for-4
3B Mark Vientos: 1-for-4, HR (6), R, RBI (23), 2 K
RF Trayce Thompson: 0-for-3, K

The final game of the series between the Mets and Red Wings wasn’t a close one, as Syracuse’s offense couldn’t get much going in this one. The only run came on a solo shot by Mark Vientos in the top of the ninth inning, with Syracuse already down 6-0. That home run raised Vientos’ season average in Syracuse to .300 and his OPS to .944.

The other five hits recorded by Mets batters were all singles, and the team drew just one walk, so there were very few scoring chances throughout.

Mark Vientos. Credit: Ed Delaney, MMO

RHP Dom Hamel (L, 1-2): 3 1/3 IP, 6 ER, 8 H, 4 BB, 2 K
RHP Grant Hartwig: 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, K
RHP Yacksel Ríos: 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Eric Orze: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Hunter Parsons: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, K

All of the damage from the Rochester offense came against Dom Hamel, who had an uncharacteristically poor outing. He allowed 12 baserunners in 3 1/3 innings while only striking out two batters. Former Met Travis Blankenhorn drove in three of the six runs allowed, one via a long ball and two via a line drive single. Hamel’s ERA now sits at 6.58 after his brutal showing.

Grant Hartwig relieved Hamel in the fourth and escaped the inning scoreless despite allowing two hits. It was smooth sailing after, as Yacksel Ríos, Eric Orze, and Hunter Parsons combined to throw four perfect innings. It was too little too late, as the Mets were already down 6-0 during that entire stretch. Vientos’ home run in the ninth finally put the Mets on the board, but it wasn’t enough.

Double-A

Sunday’s game between the Binghamton Rumble Ponies and the Hartford Yard Goats was canceled due to inclement weather. The game will not be made up.

High-A

Aberdeen IronBirds (13-14) 2, Brooklyn Cyclones (15-12) 5

BOX SCORE

1B Nick Lorusso: 1-for-4, K
C Drake Osborn: 1-for-3, R, BB, K, SB (1)
LF Jose Hernandez: 1-for-4, 2B (2), 2 RBI (5), 2 K
CF Omar De Los Santos: 1-for-4, R, K, 2 SB (17)

The Cyclones defeated the IronBirds by three runs in a game where three of the runs scored by Brooklyn came via a walk, a balk, and a throwing error on a stolen base attempt. It wasn’t the cleanest of games, especially for Aberdeen’s pitching staff, but Brooklyn is happy to take the win. It was a 2-2 game heading into the eighth inning, but a three-spot from the Brooklyn offense gave the team plenty of insurance heading into the ninth, and they held on for the win.

Nick Lorusso continued his stellar season by extending his hitting streak, and Drake Osborn, who’s having an unexpectedly good year at the plate, added a hit, a walk, and a stolen base in the effort. His OPS for the year is .948. Another notable performance came from Omar De Los Santos, who added his 16th and 17th stolen bases of the year. His run came on a throwing error on a steal of third base. He’s only batting .184/.253/.263 on the year but continues to steal bases whenever he gets on.

RHP Douglas Orellana: 2 2/3 IP, ER, 0 H, 3 BB, 4 K
RHP Jordany Ventura: 1 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, BB, K
RHP Justin Lawson: 3 IP, ER, 3 H, 3 BB, K
RHP Brett Banks (W, 2-0): 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, 2 K
RHP Josh Hejka (S, 1): 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, K

Douglas Orellana started the game for the Cyclones but pitched just 2 2/3 innings. He allowed an earned run despite not allowing a hit, as he was pulled from the game responsible for a runner on base. He walked three and struck out four in the effort, and he currently has a season ERA of 1.33. Jordany Ventura pitched the next 1 1/3 innings and did not allow a run. His season ERA dropped down to 2.35.

Justin Lawson got the bulk of the work in this game. He relieved Ventura and pitched three innings. He allowed an earned run on three hits and three walks, striking out just one batter. Brett Banks got the win after pitching a scoreless eighth, and Josh Hejka shut it down and recorded his first save of the season in the ninth.

Low-A

Jupiter Hammerheads (18-9) 4, St. Lucie Mets (12-15) 0

BOX SCORE

SS Boston Baro: 0-for-4, 2 K
2B Jesus Baez: 1-for-3, 2B (6), K
C Ronald Hernandez: 1-for-3
CF Nick Morabito: 0-for-2, BB, K

Sunday was a struggle for St. Lucie against the Hammerheads, who currently sit in first place in the FSL East division. The Mets were shut out and recorded just two hits and a walk. Nick Morabito, arguably the best hitter in the Mets’ system this year, was held hitless in three at-bats, while Jesus Baez and Ronald Hernandez recorded the only two hits of the game.

RHP Wyatt Hudepohl: 3 IP, 0 ER, H, 2 BB, 3 K
RHP Juan Arnaud: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Saul Garcia: 1 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, 2 K
RHP Layonel Ovalles (L, 0-1): 1/3 IP, ER, H, BB, 0 K
RHP Miguel Alfonseca: 1 1/3 IP, 0 ER, H, BB, K
RHP Alan Perdomo: 1 2/3 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 5 H, BB, 0 K

Six pitchers appeared in the losing effort, and Alan Perdomo was hit the hardest. He was the final Mets pitcher to come on, and he allowed three runs, two of which were earned, in 1 2/3 innings of work. He also allowed six baserunners to reach. Layonel Ovalles drew the loss in just 1/3 of an inning of work.

Outside of that, though, the pitching was quite good. Wyatt Hudepohl threw three scoreless innings and lowered his ERA to 3.05 on the season. Juan Arnaud, Saul Garcia, and Miguel Alfonseca all had scoreless outings out of the bullpen. Even with the solid pitching effort, the St. Lucie offense was absent all game and never gave the team a chance.

Complex League

There were no FCL games played on Sunday, one day after the league’s season started. The FCL Mets are back in action on Monday against the FCL Nationals.