Montero Sharp Despite Rain, Homeruns Lead Offense, Black Saves the Game After a Full Night's Rest

Las Vegas 51s @ Tacoma Rainiers

May 4, 2014

Rafael Montero @ Mark Rogers

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E	LOB
Las Vegas	1	0	1	3	0	0	2	X	X		7	7	2	9
Tacoma	0	1	0	0	0	4	0	X	X		5	6	1	3

MiLB.com boxscore

The Highlights:

Pitchers

Montero – 5 IP, 3 H, 3 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 6 SO, 98 pitches, 63 strikes (64%), 20 batters faced, 4 ground outs, 4 fly outs, gave up a hit and walk in the 6^th that both ended up scoring

Black (S, 2) – 1 IP, SO, 13 pitches

Batters

Flores – 1-3, R, 3 RBI (19), HR (4), BB

Allen – 2-2, 2 R, RBI (2), HR (1), 2 BB

Brown – 1-3, R, 3 RBI (12), HR (4), BB

Astro's Play By Play

Recap

            The weather in Tacoma this past Sunday was pretty crazy, cycling through mist, rain, hard rain and bright sunshine as the 51s and Rainiers (appropriate name) tried to get a double header of baseball in. Unfortunately, they weren’t even able to finish the first game, which had to be suspended in the top of the 7^th, and finished the next evening before starting the final game of the series (recap to follow). Rafael Montero managed to pitch a pretty solid game despite the occasional rain, which might be responsible for some of the control problems experienced by both sides Sunday. With rain falling some in the top of the 1^st, Rainiers pitcher Mark Rogers walked four straight batters to plate a run, though limited other damage. It started coming down harder in the bottom of the 6^th as the Rainiers made a nice comeback to tie the game (two walks in the inning), and was obviously raining hard enough to suspend the game mid-inning in the top of the 7^th, when Allen led off with a walk before scoring on Andrew Brown’s 4^th HR since returning to AAA.

            It was a very encouraging start through five for Montero, who had only given up a run on two infield singles, an error and a sac fly in the 2^nd. After 23 pitches to get through that 2^nd inning, he bounced back for pitch counts of 14, 13, 16 the next three innings, only giving up a walk to Endy Chavez, which was erased by a double play. I get that the Mets are trying to limit his pitch count and total innings still, but it would’ve been nice to see whether he bounces back in the 6^th inning. Also, if the Mets want to use him in the pen later in the season, why not let him go deeper early in the season? Montero went a combined 155.1 IP in 2013, which means he could get bumped to the 190 IP range this season, and he’s only on pace for about 165 IP right now. I know pitch counts are more important, just something to keep an eye on.

            After the 1^st inning run mentioned, the 51s offense was fueled by three bombs; they were a grand slam shy of the HR cycle. The Wilmer HR was his third of the series, and appeared to be hit the farthest of the three, bouncing off far end of this little building ~15-20 feet behind the LF wall – similar place to where the tents at Shea Stadium were located behind the bullpens. If he starts hitting, there is no reason the Mets shouldn’t try him at SS for the big league club - check out the nice diving stop he made in the play-by-play notes. Andrew Brown has been red hot since he put on a 51s uniform, and he’s been doing a very good job patrolling RF, which was less expected from me – I hope he gets another major league chance some day somewhere.

            Jeff Walters came in for the 51s and couldn’t put out the fire, even though it was raining. Because for Walters, when it rains, it pours, as he’s given up 9 ER over 1.2 IP and three appearances, but only 1 ER in his other 9.1 appearances over nine appearances. Vic Black came in for the 9^th and his mechanics looked about as consistent as I’ve seen this season (not the most trained eye dealing with sometimes poor camera angles), retiring the side in order on 13 pitches to get the save.

Las Vegas 51s beat Tacoma Rainier 7-5, finishing a suspend game from Sunday - Play-by-Play notes

Las Vegas 51s @ Tacoma Rainiers

May 4, 2014

Rafael Montero @ Mark Rogers

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E	LOB
Las Vegas	1	0	1	3	0	0	2	X	X		7	7	2	9
Tacoma	0	1	0	0	0	4	0	X	X		5	6	1	3

MiLB.com boxscore

The Highlights:

Wilmer

Pitchers

Montero – 5 IP, 3 H, 3 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 6 SO, 98 pitches, 63 strikes (64%), 20 batters faced, 4 ground outs, 4 fly outs, gave up a hit and walk in the 6^th that both ended up scoring

Black (S, 2) – 1 IP, SO, 13 pitches

Batters

Flores – 1-3, R, 3 RBI (19), HR (4), BB

Allen – 2-2, 2 R, RBI (2), HR (1), 2 BB

Brown – 1-3, R, 3 RBI (12), HR (4), BB

Recap will come later.

Play By Play

1^st inning

Top

1)   LF Kirk Nieuwenhuis popped out down the 3B line – the 3B kept backing up and nearly fell down and missed it. 5/P5LD

2)   2B Eric Campbell walked on four pitches.

3)   SS Wilmer Flores walked on a full count.

4)   1B Brandon Allen walked on a full count. Bases loaded.

5)   DH Andrew Brown took five pitches and walked – generous high strike. Eric Campbell scores.

6)   CF Matt ∂en Dekker popped up behind 2B. 4/P4D

7)   3B Zach Lutz popped out to Montero in foul ground. 3/P3F

Totals: R, 4 BB, 3 LOBsters

Bottom

1)    CF Endy Chavez hit a medium two-hopper right at Wilmer that he was waiting to back hand and make a quick throw. It was basically the same set up he made his last two throwing errors on, with a much cleaner throw, definitely seen some re-sharpening of his game at SS. 63/G6

2)   SS Chris Taylor walked.

*Pick off attempt gets by Allen at 1B, Taylor speeds around to 3B. E1

3)   2B Nick Franklin struck out looking at a 94 MPH fastball at the knees (also mentioned him at 92 MPH in the at-bat)

4)   1B Jesus Montero flied out to RF, a few steps in front of the warning track. 9/F9D

Totals: BB, E, SO, LOBster, 18 pitches

2^nd inning

Top

1)   C Juan Centeno lined a single into RF. S9/L9

*Wild pitch allows Centeno to advance to 2B

2)   RF Cesar Puello walked.

3)   Nieuwenhuis popped out to Montero on the infield. Montero actually lost the ball and it fell in, but the infield fly rule had been called.

4)   Campbell struck out looking at an off speed pitch on the outside corner.

5)   Flores popped out behind the SS. 6/P7S

Totals: H, BB, SO, 2 LOBsters

Bottom

1)   Ty Kelly struck out swinging on what appeared to be a breaking ball at the bottom of the zone – 3 pitches.

2)   Jabari Blash pulled a weak chopper down the 3B line that was handled cleanly by Lutz, but his throw pulled Allen off the bag at 1B for an infield single. S5/G5

*Blash steals 2B and goes to 3B as the throw bounced under the glove of Flores, who didn’t realize he didn’t have the ball. E2

3)   Humberto Quintero hit a sac fly to CF.

4)   Leury Bonilla pulled a weak grounder up the 3B line and beat out the throw to 1B. S5/G5S

5)   Xavier Avery flied out to deep LF. It was caught by Nieuwenhuis a step before running into the LF wall at full speed. What a catch, looked like his elbow hit the wall pretty hard though. 7/F7D (at ~54 minutes)

Totals: R, 2 H, SF, SO, LOBster, 23 pitches

3^rd inning

Top

1)   Allen crushed a high fastball way out of RF.

2)   Brown hit a slow roller to the right of the SS, whose high throw pulled Montero off the bag. E6/G6

3)   ∂en Dekker struck out swinging at a high fastball.

4)   Lutz hit a high fly out to RF.

5)   Centeno

Totals: R, H, HR, E, LOBster

Bottom (Substitution: Anthony Seratelli playing LF for Las Vegas)

1)   Chavez walked.

2)   Taylors hit a medium chopper at the 2B to start a double play. 463/G4

3)   Franklin struck out swinging on a fastball.

Totals: BB, GIDP, 14 pitches

4^th inning

Top (Substitution: Zach Miner pitching for Tacoma)

1)   Puello got jammed and hit a medium grounder to the right of the SS. 63/G56

2)   Seratelli lined a single into RF. S9/L34

3)   With Seratelli running, Campbell chopped a grounder where the 2B would have been standing if he weren’t attempting to cover the bag. S9/G4

4)   Flores pulled a bomb for a 3R-HR to LF.

5)   Allen lined a single into CF. S8/L8S

6)   Brown skied out to CF.

7)   ∂en Dekker skied one to the alley in right-center field that was caught a few steps in front of the warning track. 9/F89D

Totals: 3 R, 4 H, HR, LOBster

Bottom

1)   Montero hit a grounder up the middle that was snared by a diving Wilmer Flores, who got up and threw to 1B in time for the out. 63/G6M (at ~ 1:30)

2)   Kelly struck out looking at a knee-high fastball that hit the outside corner.

3)   Blash hit a weak chopper towards SS that was charged by Wilmer, who threw on the run to get the out at 1B.

Totals: SO, 13 pitches

5^th inning  

Top

1)   Lutz hit a soft grounder up the 1B line. 3u/G3S

2)   Centeno flied out to LF. 7/F7

3)   Puello hit a medium roller right at the SS. 63/G6

Totals: 15 pitches

Bottom

1)   Quintero struck out swinging at a high and tight fastball.

2)   Bonilla struck out looking at a fastball on the outside corner.

3)   Avery skied out to LF. 7/F7

Totals: 2 SO, 16 pitches

6^th inning

Top

1)   Seratelli skied out to CF. 8/F8S

2)   Campbell hit a medium roller up the middle. 63/G6M

3)   Flores pulled a hard grounder down to the 3B, who back handed it and threw to 1B nicely.

Totals: 14 pitches

Bottom

1)   Chavez hit a 0-2 pitch up the middle for a single. S8/G4M

2)   Taylor walked.

(Substitution: Jeff Walters pitching for Las Vegas)

3)   Franklin lined one off the wall in deep left-center field wall for an RBI single – the runners had to hold because of M∂D’s defensive reputation in CF, as it looked like he was going to track it down before running out of room. S7/L78D

4)   Montero walked.

5)   Kelly launched one off the wall in CF (a little to the right of where the wall is 425 feet from home plate – it isn’t just an arc in CF) for a 2R double. Montero was tagged out at home on his back on a nice play from Centeno. 2B8/F8D

6)   Blash launched one over the head of M∂D in CF for an RBI double. 2B8/F8D

7)   Quintero struck out swinging (flailing) at a breaking ball in the dirt.

8)   Bonilla lined out to 2B. 4/L4M

Totals: 4 R, 4 H, 2 2B, 2 BB, LOBster

7^th inning

Top

1)   Allen walked.

2)   Brown hit a 2R-HR to LF.

(Substitution: Lucas Luetge pitching for Tacoma)

3)   ∂en Dekker struck out swinging.

*Due to rain this game was suspended and resumed on 5/5/2014

(Substitution: Nick Hill pitching for Tacoma.

4)   Lutz struck out looking.

5)   Centeno walked on four pitches.

6)   Puello got HBP on his back foot – did not appear to bother him one bit.

7)   Seratelli hit a force out at the SS, who went to 2B. 64/G6

Totals: 2 R, H, HR, 2 BB, HBP, 2 SO, 2 LOBsters

Bottom (Substitution: Vic Black pitching for Las Vegas)

1)   Avery lined out at Wilmer. 6/L6

2)   Chavez grounded out back to the mound. 13/G1

3)   Taylor struck out swinging on a foul tip into the mitt.

Totals: SO, 13 pitches, Save

The May night sky will glitter with these bright planets >> http://t.co/JoVnVDRbJa
— Discovery (@Discovery) May 5, 2014