Minors Recap: Ryan Clifford Hits Sixth Homer In June

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15 Jun 2024 12:30

For the second consecutive game, Ryan Clifford hit a home run for Double-A Binghamton. Not only has he hit six home runs across 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) over that span.

Joey Lucchesi. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A

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

BOX SCORE

3B Brett Baty: 1-for-4, 2B, K (1.372 OPS)
CF Rhylan Thomas: 0-for-4, RBI (6) (.595 OPS)
SS Luisangel Acuña: 1-for-4, K (.668 OPS)
LF Yolmer Sanchez: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI (21) (.616 OPS)

Syracuse’s seventh-inning mini-rally was not enough to return from their 4-0 deficit in their Saturday loss to Lehigh Valley. The Mets only collected six hits and were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. 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 frame.

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

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 Saturday’s loss and has combined to allow five across his last two starts. He also saw a velocity and spin rate dip from his yearly averages in each of his pitch types while only collecting four whiffs.

Festa and Jay were solid in relief, combining for one hit and four strikeouts in three and a third innings.

Ryan Clifford. Photo by Bronson Harris of Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Double-A

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

BOX SCORE

1B Ryan Clifford: 2-for-4, 2 R, HR (7), 2B, 2 RBI (19), K (.935 OPS)
LF Alex Ramirez: 0-for-4, R, BB, 2 K (.629 OPS)
SS Jeremiah Jackson: 2-for-4, K (.597 OPS)

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 were unable to 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 slash line 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 5 2/3 innings. 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.

William Lugo. Photo by Ed Delaney, MMO

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 offensively 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.

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.

Jesus Baez. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

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 a 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 four to two.

RHP Bryce Montes de Oca (27.00 ERA) 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Saul Garcia (6.95 ERA) 4 1/3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K (69 pitches/50 strikes)
LHP Jeremy Peguero (5.56) 2 2/3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

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.