Minors Recap: Luke Ritter Belts Two Homers for Syracuse

Sunday’s action in the Mets minor leagues saw Syracuse and Binghamton win convincingly. At the same time, Brooklyn lost in extra innings, and St. Lucie got swept in a doubleheader without scoring a run. One of the better performances on the day came from Luke Ritter, who hit two home runs for Syracuse in their victory. Ritter now has 16 home runs, 50 RBIs and a .903 OPS for Syracuse this year and could be an option to join the Mets down the line as he continues to show off his power.

Triple-A

Lehigh Valley IronPigs (29-38) 3, Syracuse Mets (42-26) 9

BOX SCORE

• CF Luisangel Acuña: 2-for-5, HR (4), R, RBI (22) (.682 OPS)
• 1B Luke Ritter: 2-for-4, 2 HR (16), 2 R, 2 RBI (50) (.903 OPS)
• LF Rhylan Thomas: 3-for-4, 2B (5), 2 HR (3), 3 R, 4 RBI (10), SB (2) (.728 OPS)
• C Hayden Senger: 2-for-4, 2 RBI (20), K (.784 OPS)

The Syracuse Mets defeated the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 9-3 on Sunday behind brilliant efforts from Luke Ritter and Rhylan Thomas. Both players homered in the second inning to put the Mets ahead 3-0, but the IronPigs quickly responded to tie the game in the third. Thomas homered again the following inning, as did Luisangel Acuña, putting the Mets back up by three runs.

Luke Ritter. Photo by Herm Card

That gave Syracuse the lead for good, and the team would pile on three more runs on another Ritter homer and a two-run single from Hayden Senger.

• RHP Blade Tidwell: 4 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 5 K (5.14 ERA)
• RHP Cole Sulser: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, 0 K (2.21 ERA)
• LHP Josh Walker (W, 1-2): 1 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 4 K (1.86 ERA)
• RHP Yacksel Ríos: 1 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 K (2.96 ERA)
• LHP Danny Young: 1 IP, 0 ER, H, 0 BB, K (1.46 ERA)

Blade Tidwell had a shaky start, giving up three runs in four innings as he adjusts to Syracuse after starting the year in Binghamton. Following him, however, the bullpen arms did a great job of shutting down the Lehigh Valley offense the rest of the way. Josh Walker grabbed the win, his first of the year, while Cole Sulser, Yacksel Ríos and Danny Young also had scoreless outings.

Double-A

Somerset Patriots (31-32) 2, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (31-30) 7

BOX SCORE

• RF Alex Ramírez: 1-for-5, HR (3), R, 3 RBI (27), 2 K (.638 OPS)
• DH JT Schwartz: 2-for-3, BB, K (.768 OPS)
• 3B Jaylen Palmer: 1-for-4, HR (6), R, RBI (11), 3 K (.874 OPS)
• SS Wyatt Young: 3-for-4, R, RBI (14), SB (2) (.741 OPS)

Alex Ramírez powered the Binghamton Rumble Ponies to a 7-2 victory over the Somerset Patriots with a three-run blast. It was his third home run of the year, as he has struggled mightily after a scorching start. His home run put the Rumble Ponies up 4-0 in the third inning. The team’s lead was eventually cut to two, but Binghamton added three more runs in the eighth inning on three separate RBI singles. That put the game to bed and secured Binghamton the win.

• RHP Justin Jarvis (W, 5-2): 6 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 5 K (3.58 ERA)
• RHP Luis Moreno (H, 2): 2 IP, 0 ER, H, 0 BB, 4 K (4.33 ERA)
• RHP Wilkin Ramos: 1 IP, 0 ER, H, 0 BB, 0 K (1.33 ERA)

Justin Jarvis got the start for Binghamton and pitched well, allowing just two earned runs in six innings pitched. His quality start earned him the win, his fifth of the year. Luis Moreno followed him in relief and was fantastic, striking out four over two scoreless innings. Wilkin Ramos finished the game with a scoreless inning, giving Binghamton an easy victory.

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones (32-31) 7, Hudson Valley Renegades (33-29) 8

BOX SCORE

• CF Nick Morabito: 1-for-4, 2B (5), 3 R, BB, K, 2 SB (21) (.786 OPS)
• LF Stanley Consuegra: 4-for-5, 2B (12), 2 RBI (31) (.752 OPS)
• SS William Lugo: 2-for-3, 2B (8), R, BB, K (.617 OPS)
• C Christian Pregent: 2-for-5, 2B (1), RBI (6), 2 K (.481 OPS)

The Brooklyn Cyclones lost to the Hudson Valley Renegades 8-7 in 10 innings, blowing a 5-1 lead and then a 7-6 lead heading into the bottom of the 10th. Stanley Consuegra had the best day offensively, putting up four hits, including a double, and driving in two runs. Nick Morabito, arguably the best hitter in the Mets system this year, was also active, stealing two bases and scoring three runs.

Both teams scored a run in the first inning before the Cyclones jumped to a four-run lead. That didn’t last long, though, as the Renegades quickly made it a 5-5 game. Both teams added another run before heading into extra innings. While the Cyclones added a run in the top of the 10th, the Renegades scored two in the bottom of the inning to seal the win.

• RHP Dakota Hawkins: 3 IP, ER, 2 H, 3 BB, K (3.32 ERA)
• RHP Ben Simon: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, 0 K (5.02 ERA)
• RHP Jawilme Ramirez: 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 0 K (4.91 ERA)
• RHP Joshua Cornielly (BS, 2): 2 2/3 IP, ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 3 K (3.86 ERA)
• RHP Josh Hejka (L, 0-2): 2 1/3 IP, 2 R (0 ER), 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K (1.52 ERA)

Dakota Hawkins got the start for Brooklyn, and he had a pretty solid outing, allowing just one run in three innings. Jawilme Ramirez allowed Hudson Valley back into the game, allowing four runs in just one-third of an inning. Joshua Cornielly was charged with a blown save despite a relatively productive outing, while Josh Hejka got charged with the loss without allowing an earned run.

Low-A

Game 1: St. Lucie Mets (20-42) 0, Jupiter Hammerheads (35-27) 4

BOX SCORE

• CF Willy Fanas: 0-for-3 (.671 OPS)
• 3B Jesus Baez: 0-for-2, BB (.779 OPS)
• DH A.J. Ewing: 0-for-3 (.616 OPS)
• RF Jeffry Rosa: 1-for-1, BB (.544 OPS)

The St. Lucie Mets had a brutal day on Sunday, getting shut out on both ends of their doubleheader against the Jupiter Hammerheads and recording just three hits and two walks in their 14 innings of baseball. In the first game, the team recorded just one hit and two walks, with Jeffry Rosa recording the lone hit and one of the free passes. Jesus Baez recorded the other walk.

• RHP Ernesto Mercedes (L, 0-6): 5 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 3 H, 5 BB, 7 K (5.40 ERA)
• RHP Eduardo Herrera: 1 IP, 0 ER, H, 0 BB, 2 K (0.00 ERA)

Ernesto Mercedes got the start for St. Lucie, pitching five of the six innings pitched by Mets pitchers. He allowed four runs, three earned, and recorded his sixth loss of the season. Eduardo Herrera made his first appearance for the team since signing a minor league contract, and he pitched well, striking out two in a scoreless inning.

Game 2: St. Lucie Mets (20-43) 0, Jupiter Hammerheads (36-27) 5

BOX SCORE

• 3B Boston Baro: 0-for-3, K (.761 OPS)
• C Ronald Hernandez: 0-for-3 (.756 OPS)
• LF Yohairo Cuevas: 1-for-3, K (.523 OPS)
• DH Estarling Mercado: 1-for-3, K (.682 OPS)

The nightcap of the doubleheader was somehow just as dreary as the first game. The Mets recorded just two baserunners, singles off the bats of Yohairo Cuevas and Estarling Mercado. Otherwise, every other bat in the lineup went hitless and could not reach base in seven innings.

• RHP Alan Perdomo: 2 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, K (5.33 ERA)
• RHP Nick Bautista III (L, 0-1): 2 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 0 K (6.97 ERA)
• RHP Juan Arnaud: 1/3 IP, 3 ER, H, 3 BB, 0 K (4.26 ERA)
• RHP Cristofer Gomez: 1 2/3 IP, 0 ER, H, BB, 2 K (6.60 ERA)

The second game of the doubleheader was a bullpen game for St. Lucie. Three relievers who have struggled mightily this year (Perdomo, Bautista III, Gomez) pitched well and combined for four innings of one-run ball. Juan Arnuad, who entered Sunday’s action with a 2.89 ERA, pitched poorly, allowing three runs in one-third of an inning. Regardless, there’s nothing the pitching staff could have done, given the dormancy of the offense.

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