51s Stay Hot With Pen Shutout For Third Straight In Fresno

Las Vegas 51s @ Fresno Grizzlies

August 17, 2017

Luis Mateo @ David Martinez

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Las Vegas	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	3	1		6	13	0
Fresno	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	6	0

W: Wheeler (4-5, 8.59 ERA); L: Martinez (6-11, 4.81 ERA)

Boxscore

The Stats:

Pitchers

Luis Mateo (6.41 ERA) – 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 TB, 1 BB, 5 K (2 K/Sw), 2 GB: 1 FB: 1 LD: 1 PU, 46 Pitches (30 Strikes), 6 Swinging, 8 Called, 13% SwStr, 27.3% Whiff/Swing, 15.3 Pitches/IP, 11 BF

Beck Wheeler (W, 4-5, 8.59 ERA) – 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 TB, 5 K (5 K/Sw), 1 GB: 3 LD, 37 Pitches (24 Strikes), 8 Swinging, 3 Called, 21.6% SwStr, 38.1% Whiff/Swing, 18.5 Pitches/IP, 9 BF

Neil Wagner (H, 1, 0.00 ERA) – 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K (1 K/Sw), 2 GB: 3 FB, 28 Pitches (19 Strikes), 3 Swinging, 4 Called, 10.7% SwStr, 20% Whiff/Swing, 14 Pitches/IP, 7 BF

Kyle Regnault (3.29 ERA) – 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 TB, 1 K (1 K/Sw), 2 GB: 1 LD, 19 Pitches (11 Strikes), 3 Swinging, 5 Called, 15.8% SwStr, 50% Whiff/Swing, 19 Pitches/IP, 4 BF

Ben Rowen (4.34 ERA) – 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 GB: 2 FB, 7 Pitches (6 Strikes), 1 Swinging, 2 Called, 14.3% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 7 Pitches/IP, 3 BF

Table 1 – Mateo pitch stats by inning

	1st	2nd	3rd	Total
Total	19	15	12	46
Strikes	12	10	8	30
Swinging*	3	3	0	6

*13% Swinging strike rate; 27.3% Whiff/Swing rate

Batters

CF - Victor Cruzado - 0-5, 1 K, 15.4% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 2.6 Pitches/PA

2B - Jeff McNeil - 2-4, 2 R, 1 HBP, 1 SB, 2.2 Pitches/PA

C - Kevin Plawecki - 2-5, 2 R, 1 K, 1 GIDP, 14.3% SwStr, 20% Whiff/Swing, 2.8 Pitches/PA

LF - Travis Snider - 3-5, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K, 3.6 Pitches/PA

RF - Travis Taijeron - 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 13.6% SwStr, 42.9% Whiff/Swing, 4.4 Pitches/PA

1B - Cody Decker - 1-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 GIDP, 18.2% SwStr, 20% Whiff/Swing, 2.75 Pitches/PA

DH - Jayce Boyd - 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 K, 11.1% SwStr, 16.7% Whiff/Swing, 2.25 Pitches/PA

SS - Phillip Evans - 2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 K, 15% SwStr, 23.1% Whiff/Swing, 5 Pitches/PA

3B - Jio Mier - 1-4, 7.1% SwStr, 12.5% Whiff/Swing, 3.5 Pitches/PA

Recapish

            Injuries to the Mets, double-headers in Double-A, end of season innings limits, and possibly even more factors led to a bullpen game for the Las Vegas 51s in Fresno Thursday night, and five Las Vegas pitchers combined for a six-hit shutout (with 12 K: 2 BB total) for a third straight win over the Grizzlies. This was a very tight game through seven innings, but then the 51s connected for three in the 8^th and another in the 9^th to ease the pressure on a recently overworked (yet so far resilient) pen. Phil Evans went deep for Las Vegas in the 7^th, and the two newest bats – Jeff McNeil and Travis Snider – combined for five hits in the win.

            Travis Snider connected on the first hit of the game when he led off the 2^nd with a single. Travis Taijeron followed with a walk, but the 51s potential rally was cut short by a double play in the frame.

            Although he’s mostly been a reliever since finally getting healthy for a full season last year, 51s starter Luis Mateo actually started his career as an exciting starting pitcher prospect who overpowered the DSL and NYPL in the 2011-12 seasons (combined 165 K: 14 BB over 25 GS/136.1 IP). He initially skipped the SAL in 2013, but TJS limited him to just four games that season, and then bumps in the road during his recovery process limited him to 25 late season appearances over the 2014-15 seasons (when he made his SAL debut). This was his first start since 4/15/2013 with Binghamton, and he was much better in this three-inning stint. However, Mateo’s start was likely just due to need and not because the Mets are moving him back into the rotation (but who knows what will happen the rest of this year, as they are desperate for starters).

            Mateo struck out two and worked around a two out base runner in each of the first two innings. Tony Kemp singled with one out against him in the 3^rd, but Kevin Plawecki caught Kemp trying to steal second base, and then Mateo finished his night with a strikeout.

McNeil at second

K #1

K #2

K #3

K #4

CS for Plaw

K #5

            Las Vegas took the lead in the half-inning after Mateo left, but he didn’t go deep enough to earn a win. Jeff McNeil reached for the first time in the PCL on a HBP. He then stole second base at the same time 51s announcer Russ Langer was talking about how he’s probably lost a step due to all of his injuries over the past year-plus. Travis Taijeron singled McNeil home to make it a 1-0 game, which was all the 51s pen needed.

Taijeron

            Beck Wheeler was the first 51s reliever to actually come out of the pen Thursday, and he matched Mateo’s strikeout total over just two innings of work. Fresno connected on three hits over the two frames Wheeler was on the mound, but they all came with two outs, and Wheeler was unphased by the mini-single barrage.

K #1

K #2

K #3

K #4

K #5

            Both McNeil and Travis Snider singled in the 6^th, but the two hits sandwiched a double play, so the 51s weren’t able to put together a real scoring threat in the frame.

McNeil

Snider

            Neil Wagner made his franchise debut in the bottom of the 6^th and tossed a scoreless frame.

            Phil Evans first hit of the game was a 5^th inning single that led to nothing. His second hit was a solo blast in the 7^th that doubled the 51s score and lead.

            Jeff McNeil found himself leading off an inning again in the 8^th and he found a way on base for a third straight time. McNeil and Plawecki started the frame with singles and then later came home on a Cody Decker double. Jayce Boyd followed with an RBI single to make it 5-0.

McNeil

Plaw

Decker

Boyd

            Kyle Regnault struck out Kemp during a scoreless 8^th to keep the shutout going.

            In the 9^th, Plawecki kept the inning alive with a two out single to center field, and then burned his was around the bases on a Travis Snider double to make this a 6-0 game.

Plawecki

Snider

            Ben Rowen finished things off for Las Vegas with a perfect 9^th to seal the shutout. It was the 51s fifth shutout of the season, which ties them for tenth most in a sixteen team league.

            Looking ahead, the 51s have a chance for a four-game sweep Friday night in Fresno, and Mitch Atkins (4-6, 6.87 ERA) will take the ball in the finale.

  

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