; ;

Minors Recap: Clifford Goes Yard For Second Straight Game

By Matt Mongin

June 16, 2024 No comments

I apologize if you have heard this already, but Ryan Clifford is really good at this baseball thing. For the second consecutive game (and at-bat), Clifford hit a home run. Not only has he hit six home runs in 12 games in June, but he has raised his Double-A batting average 69 points (.143 to .212) and his OPS 373 points (.562 to .935) in that span. When Clifford is in the lineup, Binghamton Rumble Ponies games are must-see TV.

Ryan Clifford. Photo by Bronson Harris of Binghamton Rumble Ponies

TRIPLE-A

Lehigh Valley Ironpigs (29-37) 4, Syracuse Mets (41-26) 2

BOX SCORE

Syracuse’s seventh-inning mini-rally was not enough to overcome from their 4-0 deficit in their Saturday loss to Lehigh Valley. The Mets only collected six hits and were 0-for-5 with RISP. Their two runs came from a Rhylan Thomas fielder’s choice ground out, and a Yolmer Sanchez double, both of which were in the seventh. 

Brett Baty amassed another extra-base hit, a 100 mph exit velocity double to left-center field in the eighth inning. It is his seventh in seven games at the Triple-A level. 

  • LHP Joey Lucchesi (4.09 ERA)  5 1/3 IP,  8 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K (92 pitches/59 strikes) 
  • RHP Matt Festa (2.38 ERA) 1 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
  • LHP Tyler Jay (2.03 ERA) 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K

Lucchesi allowed three home runs in his Saturday loss and a combined five in the past two starts. Joey Fuego saw a velocity and spin rate dip from his year average in every pitch and only collected four whiffs – something to keep an eye on as the season continues. Festa and Jay were solid in relief, combining for one hit and four strikeouts in three and a third innings.

DOUBLE-A

Somerset Patriots (31-31) 6, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (30-30) 4 In 10 Innings

BOX SCORE

It was another thriller in Binghamton as the Rumble Ponies and Somerset Patriots needed extra innings to settle their Saturday night duel. Unlike Friday, the Rumble Ponies could not come away with the victory despite having a chance in the bottom of the ninth with runners in scoring position.

Ryan Clifford left the yard for the second straight game, his seventh for Binghamton this season and sixth in June. His slashline for the month is .281/.489/.844 (1.333 OPS) while drawing 13 walks and striking out only eight times. Getting the slugger out of the pitcher-friendly Maimonides Park in Coney Island is doing wonders.

  • RHP Nolan McLean (5.64 ERA) 5 2/3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K (82 pitches/46 strikes)
  • RHP Junior Santos (5.64 ERA) 2/3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
  • LHP Daniel Juarez (4.74 ERA) 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
  • RHP Paul Gervase (4.11 ERA) 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
  • RHP Nolan Clenney (7.77 ERA) 1 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K

McLean took the mound today but did not have his best stuff. McLean allowed two home runs and only struck out two batters in five and two-thirds. The Binghamton bullpen did a nice job keeping the team in the game as the offense battled back. Gervase has settled into Double-A nicely, putting up three straight scoreless outings and 15.53 K/9 on the season.

HIGH-A

Hudson Valley Renegades (32-29) 5, Brooklyn Cyclones (32-30) 8

BOX SCORE

  • 3B Nick Lorusso: 2-for-4, 2 R, HR (8), RBI (32), BB, 2 K (.860 OPS)
  • SS William Lugo: 2-for-3, R, HR (3), 2B, RBI (23), 2 BB (.595 OPS)
  • 2B Wilfredo Lara: 1-for-5, R, RBI (18), 3K (.647 OPS)

After a quiet game offensive game on Friday, the Cyclones came out swinging and drove in plenty of runs in their 8-5 win over Hudson Valley. A first-inning Nick Lorusso home run opened the scoring for Brooklyn, who would score again after William Lugo’s solo shot to center field. Some defensive errors and wild pitches allowed three more Cyclones to score and set up Brooklyn’s final push toward the win, which was capped off by Christopher Suero‘s eighth-inning RBI single.

Christopher Suero, Photo by Ed Delany of Mets Minors

  • RHP Kade Morris (5.32 ERA) 4 1/3 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 6 K (85 pitches/ 54 strikes)
  • RHP Julian Smith (8.10 ERA) 1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
  • RHP Justin Lawson (4.06 ERA) 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K

Morris struggled to limit the long ball again – conceding two in one inning to the Renegades. Morris has given up 12 runs in the past two starts while seeing his strikeout numbers drop significantly. He’ll look to rebound in his next start by limiting hard contact and finding his put-away pitches again.

LOW-A

Jupiter Hammerheads (34-27) 6, St Lucie Mets (20-41) 3

BOX SCORE

  • SS Boston Baro: 2-for-3, R, HR (3), 2B, 2 RBI (23), BB (.788 OPS)
  • 3B Jesus Baez: 2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI (35) (.783 OPS)

St Lucie dropped their Saturday match against Jupiter despite Boston Baro homering in his second consecutive day. Baro and Jesus Baez produced the only hits (and runs) for the Mets, who struggled to find their footing from the get-go.

Baro has slowed down a bit in June, slashing .235/.316/.441 but has a walk-strikeout ratio of 4:2.

Bryce Montes de Oca, Photo by Rick Nelson

It was Montes de Oca’s second rehab appearance, which went better than the first. After only recording one out and giving up three runs in his first outing, the towering right-hander got an entire inning under his belt as he continues to get back to his previous level of play.

FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE

FCL Mets (12-16) 1, FCL Astros (13-14) 3

BOX SCORE

The Florida Complex League Mets didn’t have much cooking on Saturday, totaling only three hits.

DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE

DSL Mets Orange (4-5) 4, DSL Phillies White (3-5) 3

BOX SCORE

DSL Phillies Red (4-4) 3, DSL Mets Blue (3-6) 2

BOX SCORE 

Share the post "Minors Recap: Clifford Goes Yard For Second Straight Game"

  • Facebook
  • Bluesky

Written by mattmongin

Follow me on X at @matthewmongin

Back to Top ↑