Erie 7, Binghamton 2 (5-9)   Box Score

Binghamton’s woes continue, with a sixth loss in a row after starting the season with a 5-3. The pitching staff continues to struggle as they gave up ten hits to the Erie SeaWolves, including four to Erie’s Jason Krizan.

Rainy Lara started the game and gave up six runs (five earned) on seven hits, while striking out one and issuing up two walks. He is 1-2 with a 4.41 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in three starts this year. Luis Mateo pitched two innings while giving up an unearned run on three hits. Lefty Kelly Secrest and righty Beck Wheeler followed with a scoreless inning each.

On the offensive side, the B-Mets had ten hits but were 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position. Dominic Smith raised his batting average a point to .237 after going 1 for 4 with a strikeout, the hit was an opposite field ground ball single. He also had an RBI after a groundout in the eighth inning that scored Maikis De La Cruz. However, he also registered a fielding error, his first of the season at first base.

Shortstop Derrik Gibson went 2 for 4 from the leadoff spot and Maikis De La Cruz hit his fourth double of the season. CF Kyle Johnson,  Niuman Romero, Matt Oberste, Colton Plaia, and Stefan Sabol all collected a hit as well. However, the offense as a whole, struck out 11 times and have done so 131 times in 14 games this year.

Bradenton 9, St. Lucie 4 (10-7) Box Score

Amed Rosario drove in all four runs including a three-run shot, but St. Lucie fell to Bradenton 9-4. Josh Edgin continued to rehab and struck out two in the first inning, but Scarlyn Reyes continued to struggle. St. Lucie in general only mustered five hits as they have gone 5-5 in their last 10 games.

After Edgin, Reyes went 3.2 innings, giving up six runs on five hits and walking six while striking out none. He currently sports a 11.91 ERA and a 2.29 WHIP. Following him was Tim Peterson, who struck out two in 1.1 innings, and then LHP Paul Paez, who chipped in two scoreless innings himself. However, RHP Jimmy Duff gave up three runs on one hit and two walks in the ninth to put the game out of reach.

Peterson has now thrown eight innings this year without allowing a run and has given up on two hits. He has struck out 13 in the span compared to just one walk.

On the other hand, Rosario provided all the bang, nearly doubling the amount of runs batted in for the season with one game. He went 1 for 3 with a home run, sac fly and a strikeout. In the first inning, St. Lucie got on the board first with his sac fly scoring CF Champ Stuart.

Rosario hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to center field, his second of the season. On the season, Rosario is currently hitting .314/.333/.543, placing fourth in the Florida State League in slugging percentage and tied for 2nd in hits with 22. Just to remind everyone, Rosario is still the third youngest in the FSL at 20-years old.

3B Jhoan Urena also had a great game offensively, going 2 for 4 with two doubles, while scoring a run, and a strikeout. It was his second and third double of the season, and he raised his batting average to .230 in the process. Wuilmer Becerra had his hitting streak snapped at six games with a 0 for 4 night.

Columbia 7 (10-7), Greenville 3 Box Score

Columbia faced down Red Sox phenom Anderson Espinoza and knocked him out early in the fourth. They had to make a comeback though,  scoring five runs in the ninth for the second straight night. The brand-spankin’-new A-Ball affiliate has been on a roll after starting out the year 6-7, winning their last four games with some excellence from the offense.

Righty Tyler Badamo started the game and went 6.2 innings, while allowing three runs on seven hits, three walks and striking out five. The outing lowered his ERA slightly from 5.79 to 5.09, and his WHIP stands at 1.47. According to reports, Badamo’s fastball was around 88-90 all night with a good changeup. Lefty Seth Davis picked u[ his first win of the season, going 2.1 hitless innings with one walk and two strikeouts.

Right fielder Jeffrey Diehl led the offense going 1 for 2 with three walks and a three-run b;ast to cap the ninth inning really. He is currently batting .263/.417/.421 on the season with seven RBI. Second baseman Vinny Siena collected two hits with two RBI and has reached base safely in all 17 games this year.

Dash Winningham extended his hitting streak to six games with two singles and is now at the .300 mark for the season. Ivan Wilson continues to show power with a 2 for 4 day and his seventh double which is tied for second in the league. Vicente Lupo reached base twice (double, walk) in his return to the starting lineup.

Tucker Tharp had the crucial at bat of the night, coming up in the ninth with the go-ahead run on third base. He pushed a single to right field to knock in his second run of the season. David Thompson, who entered the night with the second most RBI in the minors (18), went o for 4 with a walk.

Our own Jennifer Nieves was at the Las Vegas 51s game and will provide her own recap of that outcome.