Mets Minors Recap: Clifford Connects for Syracuse

Ryan Clifford, who hit 24 homers with Double-A Binghamton to lead the Eastern League before he was promoted, launched his first two homers for Triple-A Syracuse. The first one went to the opposite field. So did the second. The 22-year-old first baseman is 9-for-33 in 10 games for Syracuse.

Triple-A

Indianapolis Indians (72-51) 0, Syracuse Mets (63-61) 5

Box Score

• 1B Ryan Clifford, 3-for-4, 2 HR (2), 3 RBI (6), K (.840 OPS)
• CF Jett Williams, 0-for-4, R (.574 OPS)
• DH Joey Meneses, 1-for-3, HR (9), RBI (52)(.771 OPS)

Clifford hit 18 homers for Binghamton last year and 23 across three levels in 2023. He was ranked eighth on the Metsmerized Online top 50 prospect update posted earlier this month. Williams, No. 1 on the list, is 8-for-41 with a home run in 10 games with Syracuse.

• RHP Tylor Megill (0.00 ERA) 5 IP, H, BB, 4 K, W
• RHP Justin Hagenman (5.95 ERA) 3 IP, 3 H, 6 K
• LHP Richard Lovelady (1.61 ERA) IP, H, 2 K

Megill was sharp, throwing 39 of 65 pitches for strikes, in his third rehab start as he looks to return from a right elbow sprain.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (77-39) 5, Portland Sea Dogs (56-59) 2

Box Score

• CF A.J. Ewing, 3-for-5, 2 2B, RBI (3) SB (4), R, K (.817 OPS)
• 2B D’Andre Smith, 1-for-4, 2B, RBI (34), SB (17), R, BB, K (.741 OPS)
• RF Nick Morabito, 2-for-4, 3 SB (40), R, BB (.765 OPS)

The Rumble Ponies were running. They stole five bases. Morabito, 22, entered the game tied for third in the Eastern League in steals. Ewing, 21, is 62-for-71 stealing bases across three levels and is 14-for-44 with four doubles, a triple, and four steals since his promotion to Binghamton.

• RHP Jack Wenninger (2.73 ERA) 6 1/3 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 7 K, W
• RHP TJ Shook (2.66 ERA) IP, K, SV

Wenninger, 23, a sixth-round 2023 pick from the University of Illinois, entered Friday second in the Eastern League in ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts. He’s fanned 133 in 118 2/3 innings pitched. (First in all those categories is his recently promoted ex-teammate Jonah Tong.)

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones (68-50) 3, Aberdeen IronBirds (48-68) 0

Box Score

• RF Eli Serrano III, 1-for-4, RBI (46), R (.688 OPS)
• SS Colin Houck, 1-for-3, 3B, 2 RBI (13), BB, K (.560 OPS)
• 1B Trace Willhoite, 2-for-3, R, BB (1.160 OPS)

Willhoite, 24, is 9-for-24 with two homers and two doubles in eight games with Brooklyn. He hit 14 homers and posted an .852 OPS in 346 plate appearances with Low-A St. Lucie.

• RHP Joel Díaz (3.71 ERA) 7 IP, H, BB, 6 K, W
• RHP Josh Blum (2.61 ERA) 2 IP, BB, K, SV

Díaz, 21, of the Dominican Republic, turned in his longest and best outing of the season as the Cyclones threw a combined one-hitter. He has struck out 93 in 97 innings.

Low-A

St. Lucie Mets (70-47) 10, Palm Beach Cardinals (56-60) 9, 11 innings

Box Score

• DH John Bay, 2-for-5, 2B, RBI (16), SB (4), R, 2 K (1.044 OPS)
• C Daiverson Gutierrez, 2-for-5, 2B, RBI (37), R (.675 OPS)
• CF Yonatan Henriquez, 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI (49), 2 R (.756 OPS)
• 1B Chase Meggers, 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI (5), SB (4), 2 R, 2 K (.818 OPS)

The Mets signed the 24-year-old Bay to a minor-league contract last month after he slashed .360/.507/.769 with 22 homers in 225 at-bats for Austin Peay in the Atlantic Sun Conference. He is off to a great start, 17-for-50 with two homers, three doubles, a triple, and 16 RBIs in 16 games.

• RHP Jose Chirinos (3.47 ERA) 4 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, K
• RHP Christian Rodriguez (5.28 ERA) 2 IP, H, 2 BB, 3 K

It was a wild finish. The teams combined for nine runs in the ninth, each scored a run in the 10th, and the Mets held on for the one-run win after scoring three in the top of the 11th.

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