B-Mets Matzterpiece Foiled By A Late Reading Rally

Binghamton Mets @ Reading Fightin’ Phils

August 31, 2015

Steven Matz @ Jake Thompson

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Binghamton	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0		2	8	0
Reading	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	2	X		6	8	0

W: Thompson (4-1, 2.08 ERA); L: Kolarek (2-4, 4.52 ERA); Save: O’Sullivan (4, 2.22 ERA)

MiLB.com Boxscore

The Highlights:

Pitchers

Steven Matz (0.00 ERA) – 5.1 IP, H, 2 BB, 4 SO, 78 Pitches (49 Strikes), 8 GO: 2 FO

Erik Goeddel (H, 3, 3.00 ERA) – 0.2 IP, H, BB, 17 Pitches (7 Strikes)

Adam Kolarek (L, 2-4, 4.52 ERA) – 0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, BB

Jon Velasquez (BS, 2, 2.15 ERA) – 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, SO, HR, 38 Pitches (28 Strikes), 2 GO: 2 FO, 3 IR – 3 S

Jake Thompson – 7 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 4 SO, 97 Pitches (66 Strikes), 4 GO: 6 FO

Ryan O’Sullivan – 2 IP, 4 GO: 2 FO

Batters

T.J. Rivera – 2-4, R, SO

Josh Rodriguez – 2-4, R

Brock Peterson – 1-4, RBI (49), SO

Vince Belnome – 1-4, SO, GIDP

Jared King – 2-3, CS

K.C. Serna – 1-3, RBI (30), SF

J.P. Crawford – 2-4, 2 2B (20), 2 RBI (33), 2 SO

Destin Hood – 1-2, 2 R, 2 BB, SB (5)

Dylan Cozens – 2-4, R, HR (2), 2 RBI (8), SO

Angelo Mora – 1-4, R

Brodie Greene – 1-3, R, RBI (22), BB, SO

Recap

            Assuming the Binghamton Mets hold onto their playoff spot in the Eastern division of the Eastern League, they got a preview of their first round matchup in Reading Monday night against the Fight Phils. The B-Mets were fortunate to be getting a start from rehabbing Steven Matz, who was on an 80-pitch limit, especially since Reading was countering with Readings top-pitching prospect Jake Thompson. The starting pitching matchup lived up to its billing, but Matz’s pitch limit meant the Binghamton bullpen would have to step it up, and they couldn’t hold onto the 2-0 lead, whilte Thompson pitched deep into the game, and then Ryan O’Sullivan threw two perfect innings to hold on for Reading. With the win, the Fightins officially punched their ticket to the postseason.

Steven Matz was great for Binghamton, allowing only one hit (to the first Reading batter of the game) and 2 walks over his 5.1 IP, and departing with a 2-0 lead. He hit 95-96 MPH on the stadium scoreboard multiple times throughout the start, his curve looked as sharp as it has on his rehab, and only two balls were hit beyond the infield on the fly. Matz may not have been as efficient as in his first rehab start with Binghamton, but he looked ready to return. Unfortunately for Binghamton, Jake Thompson was nearly as good, showing off just how tough of an opponent he’ll be in the first round next week. Thompson allowed the 2 Binghamton runs on 3 singles and a sac fly in the 4^th, but he was very much in control otherwise. I heard the Reading announcers call his fastball in the 93-95 MPH range from the stadium scoreboard, and while I didn’t hear velocity calls on his curveball, it was a very effective pitch.

            Erik Goeddel was the first in to relieve Matz, brought in after Matz threw just 4 pitches in the 6^th to inch ever so closer to his 80-pitch limit – I guess Goeddel was intentionally brought into the middle of an inning as preparation for his pending promotion, because he hadn’t done that yet on his rehab, and his previous 3 outings were the back-to-back day test, and then multiple inning test. Goeddel would allow a double to J.P. Crawford and issue a walk in the 6^th, but he kept the shutout intact. Adam Kolarek could not keep the shutout intact during the 7^th, and Jon Velasquez could not strand any of the three base runners he inherited from Kolarek, which led to a 4-2 Reading lead. The Fightin’ Phils would add a pair of runs on a blast from Dylan Cozens in the 8^th, while Binghamton had no fight left over the final innings.

            Check out scoring details and highlights below, as well as some nice defensive plays and highlights from Steven Matz and Jake Thompson. This series continues Tuesday night at 6:35 PM, with Gabriel Ynoa (9-8, 3.83 ERA) scheduled to pitch opposite Ben Lively (8-7, 4.22 ERA), and the Binghamton Mets magic number at 4.

Scoring Highlights

            T.J. Rivera sparked the only B-Mets rally with a leadoff single in the 4^th. Josh Rodriguez advanced him to 2B with a single to LF, and then Brock Peterson brought Rivera home with the third single in a row. Joe Benson would add a sac fly to put the B-Mets up 2-0.

            Adam Kolarek replaced Erik Goeddel in the 7^th, and he failed to retire any of the four Reading batters that he faced. Destin Hood led off with a walk, and then Dylan Cozens, Angelo Mora, and Brodie Greene collected three straight singles to cut the lead in half. Jon Velasquez would allow all three inherited runners to score after taking over for Kolarek, with a two out, two run double from J.P. Crawford the big blow in the frame . It was Crawford’ s second double in as many innings, and his first double was the first Reading hit since Serna led off the game with a single.

This two run double gave Reading the lead

This was Crawford's first double of the night

            Dylan Cozens added a two run blast to left center field in the 8^th to give Reading a pair of insurance runs.

Defensive Highlights

            The only hit Steven Matz allowed was to the first Reading batter of the game, and K.C. Serna would be doubled off of 1B to end the frame.

            Steven Matz took charge on this pop out on the infield, but came awfully close to 1B Vince Belnome to do so. He was also involved defensively on the first two plays in the 5^th inning.

            Jonathan Galvez made a great diving catch with runners on 2B and 3B in the 7^th, but it was only the second out, so a run came home on a sac fly.

            Xorge Carrillo hit into a pair of nice defensive plays: to Destin Hood in deep CF, and to J.P. Crawford in the hole. Crawford would also take care of a pair of grounders hit his way in the 9^th.

Pitcher Coverage

Steven Matz

Table 1 – Matz pitch stats by inning

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	Total
Total	11	22	19	12	10	4	78
Strikes	7	12	11	10	7	2	49
Swinging*	1	0	2	1	0	0	4

*5.1% Swinging strike rate

K1

K2

K3

K4

Erik Goeddel

Jake Thompson

Table 2 – Thompson pitch stats by inning

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	Total
Total	11	13	15	16	12	18	12	97
Strikes	7	7	10	14	8	13	7	66
Swinging*	0	0	2	4	1	1	0	8

*8.2% Swinging strike rate

K1

K2

K3

K4

K4 replay

Cosmic Butterfly: Shimmering colors show the complexity of the Twin Jet Nebula: http://t.co/fYuzsWPFqV @NASA_Hubble pic.twitter.com/fc5qvOyn9z

— NASA (@NASA) August 30, 2015