; ;

Mark Vientos, Nick Morabito, Alex Ramirez Continue Hot Starts

By Matt Mongin

April 21, 2024 No comments

Nick Morabito, Photo by Ed Delany of Mets Minors

It was a great day for the Mets Minor League teams, who swept their four games up and down the East Coast. Syracuse’s Mark Vientos continued his scorching start to the year with another homerun, raising his OPS to 1.018.

Alex Ramirez collected three more hits for Binghamton and drew a walk while leading them to a win over Reading. Most notably, St. Lucie won in walk-off fashion yet again, this time on a fielding error by Tampa’s shortstop. 

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (2-3) 11, Charlotte Knights (8-11) 6 In 10 Innings

BOX SCORE

  • 3B Mark Vientos: 3-for-4, R, HR (4), 2 RBI (17, 18), BB, K (1.018 OPS)
  • CF Trayce Thompson: 1-for-4, R, HR (5), RBI (12, 13), 2 BB, K (.762 OPS)
  • 1B Luke Ritter: 2-for-5, 2 R, HR (4), 2 RBI (7, 8) (.882 OPS)
  • SS Luisangel Acuña: 2-for-5, 2 R, 3B, RBI (5), BB, K (.563 OPS)

It would require extra baseball, but the Syracuse Mets battled a five-run deficit and got another comeback victory. A fourth-inning RBI by Luke Ritter would be the only offense the Mets would get until their rally began in the sixth inning. The Knights would hang six runs on Mike Vasil in the fifth inning via a Wynton Bernard grand slam and a Danny Mendick solo shot. Mendick, who played for Syracuse last season, has homered in fifth consecutive games against the Mets. 

Trayce Thompson would lead Syracuse in their rally attempt, hitting a two-run homer that scored Mark Vientos. Luke Ritter would some damage of his own, launching a solo blast to centerfield. After Syracuse’s bullpen stalled the Charlotte offense, this seventh-inning Mark Vientos two-run homer tied up the ballgame. 

  • RHP Mike Vasil: 5 IP, 6 ER, 8 H, 0 BB, K (54 of 85 pitches for strikes)
  • RHP Jon Duplantier: 2 IP, 0 ER, H, 0 BB, 3 K (21 of 29 pitches for strikes)
  • LHP Josh Walker: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, K (8 of 12 pitches for strikes)
  • RHP Cole Sulser (W, 1-0): 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K (15 of 21 pitches for strikes)

Mike Vasil struggled to command the strike zone and allowed two deep balls, resulting in an uneven stat line. The bullpen picked up their starter, combing for one hit and no runs in five innings pitched. Cole Sulser should his major league stuff in his two innings of work, striking out two Charlotte batters while allowing no baserunners. 

Double-A

Reading Fightin Phils (5-9) 3, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (6-7) 6

BOX SCORE

Binghamton, led by Alex Ramirez and Rowdey Jordan, powered to their sixth win of the young season. The Rumble Ponies jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the second inning behind RBI hits from Wyatt Young, Kevin Parada, and Ramirez. Reading responded the next frame when hit-machine Carson Taylor hit a three-run shot off Justin Jarvis. Taylor has five hits in the series, two of which have been for extra bases. Rowdy Jordan broke the tie in the fifth inning with this two-run homer to right field. 

Ramirez continues to show his improved hit tool and plate discipline, getting on base four times to raise his batting average to .348. 

  • RHP Justin Jarvis: 2 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, BB, 2 K (32 of 55 pitches for strikes)
  • RHP Hunter Parsons: 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, K (4 of 5 pitches for strikes)
  • RHP Cameron Foster (W, 1-0): 4 IP, 0 ER, H, 3 BB, 4 K (34 of 61 pitches for strikes)
  • RHP Wilkin Ramos (S, 4): 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K (18 of 27 pitches for strikes)

In his second appearance of the year, Justin Jarvis failed to give the Rumble Ponies much depth – throwing two and two-thirds innings and allowing three runs on the Taylor homer. The Binghamton bullpen was spotless, combing for seven and third innings, conceding only one hit and no runs. Most notably, Cameron Foster was spectacular – striking out four batters and giving up four walks as his only baserunners in his four innings of work. 

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones (6-8) 9, Wilmington Blue Rocks (8-6) 7

BOX SCORE

Brooklyn finally experienced the offensive explosion it had been waiting for. With 14 hits and nine runs, Brooklyn triumphed over Wilmington with efforts from up and down the lineup. Two-way player Nolan McLean continued his extra-base excellence, hitting two doubles while raising his OPS to an unworldly 1.200. 

Most of Brooklyn’s damage came in the fifth inning when they scored five runs, led by RBI hits from Nick Lorusso, McLean, Kevin Villavicenio, and Omar De Los Santos. The latter three also scored on extra-base hits. 

  • RHP Jordan Geber: 4 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, BB, 2 K (38 of 68 pitches for strikes) 
  • RHP Jordany Ventura: 1 IP, 4 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, K, 3 WP(17 of 32 pitches for strikes)
  • RHP Diosmerky Taveras: 1 IP, ER, H, BB, K (10 of 20 pitches for strikes)
  • RHP Victor Castaneda (W, 1-0): 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 4 K (17 of 25 pitches for strikes)
  • RHP Justin Lawson (S, 3): 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, 0 K  (8 of 17 pitches for strikes)

Brooklyn never trailed in the game due to the offense, not because of elite pitching. Three out of five pitchers gave up runs, starting with Jordan Geber, who allowed two runs in the bottom of the fourth but survived the inning without further damage. Jordany Ventura demonstrated his lack of control with three wild pitches and two walks in his inning of work. Ventura was tagged with four runs, while Diosmerky Taveras gave up one run. Victor Castaneda and Justin Lawson held down the Brooklyn lead through the rest of the game. 

Low-A

Tampa Tarpons (4-10) 8, St. Lucie Mets (6-8) 9

BOX SCORE

It was a back-and-forth battle from the very beginning. St Lucie took an early lead in the first inning after a Nick Morabito two-RBI single, but Tampa quickly followed suit with a five-run second inning and a two-run third frame. The Mets cut into that 7-2 deficit in the fourth and fifth innings with three runs of their own after Christopher Suero homered and Vicento Perozo doubled, bringing the score to 7-5. 

An insurance run by Tampa had the Mets going into the bottom of the eighth down by three. The Mets would score four unanswered runs in the final two frames, culminating in a walk-off fielding error by Roderick Arias. 

Nick Morabito continues to impress with his breakout season. He posted his fourth multi-hit game of the year, showcasing his plus-speed tool by swiping his fifth base.  

  • LHP Zach Thornton: 1 2/3 IP, 5 R (1 ER), 6 H, BB, 3 K (26 of 40 pitches for strikes)
  • RHP Jawilme Ramirez: 3 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K (28 of 51 pitches for strikes)
  • RHP Candido Cuevas: 2 2/3 IP, ER, 2 H, 4 BB, 3 K (45 of 76 pitches for strikes)
  • RHP Wilson Lopez (W, 2-0): 1 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 B, 2 K (13 of 21 pitches for strikes)

Zach Thornton was primarily ineffective in his outing, allowing six hits in an inning and a third. A second-inning balk caused the rest of his runs to be unearned. Jawilme Ramirez was the pitcher brought in for relief, going three and a third, allowing the two runs in the third inning. After his first inning, he settled in and found a grove, finishing with a solid performance.

Candido Cuevas and Wilson Lopez closed out the game with four solid innings of relief, limiting the Tampa offense and allowing the St Lucie offense to get back into the game. 

 

Share the post "Mark Vientos, Nick Morabito, Alex Ramirez Continue Hot Starts"

  • Facebook
  • X

Written by mattmongin

Back to Top ↑