LAS VEGAS 7, TACOMA 6
The Las Vegas 51’s win their fifth in a row, and are off to a franchise best 17-5 start after defeating the Tacoma Rainers in a very action-packed entertaining game. Noah Syndergaard got the start for the 51’s on Friday and did a decent job. Improving on his last start, Syndergaard went five innings and picked up his third win of the season thanks to his teammates scoring two runs in the bottom of the 5th inning after his exit. Andrew Brown who was making his second start with Las Vegas went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI, and three runs scored. The insanely hot-hitting Allan Dykstra added a pair of hits raising his season average to .423. It would be a fun back-and-forth battle when it was all said and done with the first place 51’s coming out on top. Jacob deGrom is scheduled to start on Saturday and looks to keep building on what is turning out to be his best season as a pro. (box score)
BINGHAMTON vs ERIE
The game between the B-Mets and the Erie SeaWolves has been postponed due to rain. There will be a double-header on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 3:05pm est. Matthew Bowman is scheduled to be the game 1 starter with the game 2 starter TBD.
ST. LUCIE 13, BRADENTON 4
The St. Lucie Mets improved to 13-8 after defeating the Bradenton Marauders 13-4 on Friday night. Trailing 4-3 heading into the eighth inning, the Mets pounded the Marauders for 13 runs. St. Lucie would only hit singles in the inning until Aderlin Rodriguez smashed a ball over the left field fence with the bases loaded for his second home run of the season. Michael Fulmer got the start for St. Lucie and threw five scoreless innings but would leave the game knotted at zero. The Bradenton bat’s would come alive in the seventh inning tagging the Mets bullpen for four runs which would give them the lead. Randy Fontanez would record the blown save but would pick up the win as the benefactor of the big inning. Domingo Tapia is scheduled to make the start for St. Lucie on Saturday. (box score)
SAVANNAH 4, LAKEWOOD 1 – GAME 1
Robert Gsellman pitched a complete game in the shortened 7-inning contest, in the first game of a double-header, as the SandGnats take down the Lakewood BlueClaws, 4-1. Gsellman was superb going the distance for Savannah, allowing just one run on five hits, while walking none and striking out seven. This was his fourth start this season and he has struck out at least five batters each time. The SandGnats would jump out to the early lead thanks to an RBI single by Jeff McNeil in the first inning. McNeil has now hit safely in 9 out of the last 10 games he has played. L.J. Mazzilli would hit his first home run of the season in the fourth inning which would prove to be the game-winner. (box score)
SAVANNAH 10, LAKEWOOD 2 – GAME 2
Stefan Sabol hit his fourth home run of the season as the SandGnats unload for 10 runs as they defeat Lakewood 10-2 in the second game of the double header on Friday. Sabol would go 2-for-3 in the second game with rive RBI. Miller Diaz picks up his first win of the season going six innings while striking out eight and Darwin Frias would add one inning in a solid relief appearance. The SandGnats remarkably used just three pitchers total in both games saving the bullpen from innings on their arms. Savannah will try and make it five in a row on Saturday in the fourth game of the five-game series. (box score)
MMN PLAYER of the NIGHT
There certainly could have been a couple of different players to choose from to be the player of the night. Aderlin Rodriguez had a good night hitting a grand slam for St. Lucie while driving in six, Jeff McNeil went 5-for-6 with four runs scored and two RBI, and Stefan Sabol drove in five runs with a home run. In the end I just have to go with Robert Gsellman. Throwing a complete game (albeit 7 innings), not walking anyone and striking out seven earns him the MMN Player of the Night award.
