Mets Minors Recap: De La Cruz, McLean Fire Six Shutout Innings

A pair of starters each threw six shutout innings Friday night. Lefty Felipe De La Cruz did it in his Triple-A Syracuse debut in a 6-3 victory over Scranton/Wilkes Barre and righty Nolan McLean pulled it off for Double-A Binghamton in a 4-1 win in the first game of a doubleheader against Erie.

Paul Blackburn gave up two runs on four hits and struck out six over three innings in his second appearance for Single-A Brooklyn.

The hitting star of the night was Jett Williams, who went 3-for-7 with two doubles as Binghamton split a doubleheader.

Met affiliates went 3-2 Friday. The Florida Complex League Mets begin their Rookie League season Saturday at 10 a.m. ET with a game against the FCL Cardinals in St. Lucie.

Triple-A

Scranton Wilkes/Barre RailRiders (15-15) 3, Syracuse Mets (14-17) 6

Box Score

• CF Drew Gilbert, 1-for-3, 2B, R, 2 RBI (5), (.730 OPS)
• 3B Jared Young, 1-for-4, RBI (9) (1.045 OPS)
• C Hayden Senger, 1-for-2, R (.462 OPS)

Gilbert doubled in a run to open the scoring and Young doubled home a run as well. Jon Singleton (.987 OPS) singled in a run to highlight a three-run seventh inning that broke a 3-3 tie.

• LHP Felipe De La Cruz, (0.00 ERA) 6 IP, 9 K, H

De La Cruz was sensational with nine strikeouts in his first start for Syracuse. He didn’t walk a batter, gave up just one hit and threw 53 of his 70 pitches for strikes. The 23-year-old from the Dominican Republic was promoted after pitching to a 1.98 ERA and 1.02 WHIP over 13 2/3 innings at Binghamton, where he struck out 20 and walked three.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (14-9) 4, Erie SeaWolves (15-9) 1

Box Score Game 1

• SS Jett Williams, 1-for-4, 2B, R, RBI (9), (.857 OPS)
• CF Nick Morabito, 1-for-4, 3 K, CS (3) (.696 OPS)
• 1B Nick Lorusso, 2-for-2, R, RBI (12), BB (.857 OPS)
• LF Alex Ramírez, 2-for-3, R (.578 OPS)

Williams doubled off the wall in left to bring in a run. Morabito was caught stealing, the 21-year-old is now 7-for-10 swiping bases on the season after going 59-for-74 a year ago.

• RHP Nolan McLean (1.37 ERA) 6 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K, W

This was the third time in five starts that McLean didn’t allow a run. The 2023 third-round draft pick has struck out 30 and walked 12 in 26 1/3 innings.

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (14-10) 0, Erie SeaWolves (16-9) 3

Box Score Game 2

• DH Jett Williams, 2-for-3, 2B (.887 OPS)
• 3B Nick Lorusso, 1-for-3 (.849 OPS)
• DH Ryan Clifford, 0-for-3, K (.667 OPS)

Williams had two of the Rumble Ponies’ three hits, including his seventh double. He is hitting .303 and has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games. He also stole his sixth base.

• RHP Jonathan Pintaro (3.15 ERA) 4 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 6 K

Pintaro has struck out 28 in 20 innings and has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his five starts, though his longest start was 5 2/3 innings.

High-A

Wilmington Blue Rocks (8-17) 2, Brooklyn Cyclones (16-8) 3

Box Score

• CF A.J. Ewing, 3-for-4, R, 2 RBI (3) (.721 OPS)
• LF Eli Serrano, 2-for-4 (.828 OPS)
• 1B Jacob Reimer, 2-for-3, R (1.022 OPS)
• RF Carson Benge, 0-for-4, K (.803 OPS)

Brooklyn scored all three of its runs in the second inning, with Ewing driving in two with a single. Reimer, who hit three home runs in Wednesday’s game, extended his hitting streak to seven games.

• RHP Paul Blackburn (5.40 ERA) 3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 6 K, HR
• RHP R.J. Gordon (2.14 ERA) 4 1/3 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 K

Blackburn was sharp for two innings, but ran into trouble in the third when he gave up a couple of runs, including a solo home run. Gordon has struck out 24 in 21 innings.

Low-A

St. Lucie Mets (14-11) 0, Jupiter Hammerheads (12-13) 4

Box Score

• SS Colin Houck, 1-for-3, 2B, 2 BB, K (.689 OPS)
• 1B Vincent Perozo, 1-for-3, K (.808 OPS)
• 2B Jeremy Rodriguez, 0-for-3, 2 BB (.663 OPS)

A rough night for St. Lucie, which was held to two hits, a Houck double and a Perozo single. The Mets struck out nine times.

• RHP Will Watson (2.89 ERA) 2 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 2 K
• RHP Wellington Aracena (4.73 ERA) 3 IP, ER, 2 H, 4 BB, 2 K

After striking out 20 and walking three in his first four appearances (16 2/3 innings), Watson struck out two and walked four in two innings on Friday.

 

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