Ryan Clifford Homers For Second Time In Three Games (2024)

Wednesday was not the greatest day in the New York Mets farm system. The five teams in action combined for a 1-4 record with three of the teams scoring two runs or less. However, Syracuse saw the brief return of one of the Mets top pitching prospects, St. Lucie was able to find a way to squeak out a close victory, and one player down in Binghamton may be starting to heat up with home runs at the plate. Find out more about the night’s performances below.

Triple-A

St. Paul Saints (26-31) 5, Syracuse Mets (34-23) 1

BOX SCORE

• 3B Rylan Bannon:1-for-4, 2B, 2 K (.869 OPS)
• RF Trayce Thompson:1-for-3, R, HR (14), RBI (38), 2 K (.874 OPS)
• DH Carlos Cortes:1-for-3 (.789 OPS)
• C Hayden Senger:1-for-3, 2 K (.626 OPS)
• SS Luisangel Acuña:0-for-3, BB (.646 OPS)

The Syracuse offense managed only four hits and struck out 12 times in Wednesday night’s loss up in Minnesota. Thompson drove in the lone run with a solo home run in the top of the fifth. It was his first home run since May 19 and he has driven in at least one run in three of the last five games. His 14 home runs are tied for the most in the International League.

• RHP Christian Scott (2.97 ERA):5 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, BB, 7 K (40 of 59 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Blade Tidwell (0-1, 4.38):0.2 IP, 4 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, K (18 of 35 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Yacksel Ríos (3.00):1.1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H (9 of 11 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Jon Duplantier (4.91):1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, BB, K (14 of 25 pitches for strikes)

In what will be a temporary stint for Scott back at Triple-A, he put up a high strikeout total while limiting his pitch count. Scott struck out three of the final six batters he faced with the only run he allowed coming on a solo home run to the first batter of the game he faced.

Tidwell came in the game in the sixth and after a pair of one-out walks, he allowed a single and a three-run home run as part of a four-run inning by St. Paul.

Tidwell and Scott were recently ranked among the Top 100 prospects by Baseball America.

Double-A

Bowie BaySox (27-25) 6, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (26-25) 5

BOX SCORE

• 1B Ryan Clifford:1-for-2, 2 R, HR (3), RBI (7), 2 BB, K (.710 OPS)
• SS Jeremiah Jackson:1-for-4, 2 RBIs (18), K (.536 OPS)
• RF Brandon McIlwain:1-for-3, RBI (9), BB, K (.677 OPS)
• DH Kevin Parada:1-for-3, 2 R, K, HBP (.641 OPS)

The Rumble Ponies only had one extra-base hit in Wednesday’s loss as they combined for 13 strikeouts a a lineup. That one hit came in the top of the second when Clifford hit a solo shot to center. It was his third of the season and his second in the last four games.

Ryan Clifford goes deep for the second time in his past three games!

MLB’s No. 75 prospect has reached base in 12 of his 13 most recent outings for @Mets Double-A @RumblePoniesBB. pic.twitter.com/jGK9ZBC2gi

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 5, 2024

See Also

Minors Recap: Suero, Cyclones’ Offense Goes Off Again

• RHP Justin Jarvis (3-2, 4.37): 2.1 IP, 6 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 3 K (42 of 67 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Luis Moreno (5.08):5 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, BB, 7 K (47 of 75 pitches for strikes)

It was a rough night on the mound for Jarvis. The BaySox offense scored all six of their runs in the first three innings and it was a season-high for runs allowed in a start for the 24-year-old right-hander. Moreno did allow a double, but kept the offense in the game with his seven strikeouts (season-high)

High-A

Aberdeen Ironbirds (27-26) 4, Brooklyn Cyclones (28-25) 0

BOX SCORE

• RF Nick Morabito:2-for-5, K (.824 OPS)
• 2B Jefrey De Los Santos:2-for-4, K (.697 OPS)
• DH Francisco Alvarez:0-for-3, BB, K (.542 OPS)
• 3B Nick Lorusso:0-for-3, BB, SB (.856 OPS)

The Cyclones were unable to record a single extra-base hit and they went 1-for-9 as a team with men in scoring position in Wednesday’s loss. However, Morabito had one of the two multi-hit games and he now has a .406 on-base percentage in 23 games with Brooklyn. Alvarez continued his rehab and his best at-bat came when he drew a walk in the seventh.

• RHP Jawilme Ramirez (2-2, 4.08): 3.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, BB, 2 K (45 of 65 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Julian Smith (0.00):1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, K (12 of 21 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Justin Lawson (3.29):3 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 K (32 of 54 pitches for strikes)

The Ironbirds did their damage against Ramirez in the top of the third when they put up two runs via an RBI single and a sacrifice fly. Over his last two starts (8.2 innings pitched), he has allowed a total of 12 hits. Lawson was the bulk reliever for the Cyclones and tied his longest outing of the season (three innings).

Low-A

St. Lucie Mets (19-34) 2, Daytona Tortugas (23-30) 1

BOX SCORE

• DH Jesus Baez:1-for-4, RBI (32) (.767 OPS)
• 3B Boston Baro:1-for-5, RBI (20), K (.781 OPS)
• SS Colin Houck:1-for-4 (.641 OPS)
• LF Willy Fañas:2-for-4, 3B, K (.796 OPS)
• 1B Yohairo Cuevas:0-for-1, R, 3 BB, SB, K (.518 OPS)

After the Mets and Tortugas were scoreless through five innings, the Mets got on the board first in the sixth thanks to RBI singles from Baro and Baez, who were the top two spots in the lineup. Baez has driven in at least one run in four of his last five games (6 RBIs in 4 games this month). Baro returned to the lineup on Wednesday after not playing since May 31 and he drove in a run for the third consecutive game. Houck ended up extending his hit streak to seven games as well in the win.

• RHP Joel Díaz (1.80):4 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, 5 K (37 of 54 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Miguel Alfonseca (1-2, 7.50):2 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 3 K (21 of 35 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Alan Perdomo (6.53): 2 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 K (22 of 41 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Juan Arnaud (1.65, 1st save):1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H (7 of 11 pitches for strikes)

Díaz struck out three of the final six batters he faced in his four no-hit innings of work. The 20-year-old right-hander had his longest outing of the season and he has 11 strikeouts over his last two starts (7.1 innings). Arnaud got the final three outs for his first save of the year. The 20-year-old right-hander has not allowed an earned run in each of his last six appearances.

Florida Complex League

FCL Cardinals (11-13) 10, FCL Mets (10-12) 5

BOX SCORE

• 3B Jake Zitella:2-for-3, R, RBI (8), BB (.819 OPS)
• C Francisco Toledo:1-for-2, R, 2 RBIs (6), BB, K (.573 OPS)
• DH Donovan Antonia:1-for-4, R, 2B, RBI (6) (.631 OPS)
• SS Jeremy Rodriguez:1-for-4, R, K (.896 OPS)
• CF Simón Juan:0-for-4, 2 K (.8o3 OPS)

Even though the Mets found themselves in a 7-0 hole by the end of the third inning, they were able to work their way back into the game with three runs in the fifth. Those runs came around to score on a double by Antonia and a two-run single by Toledo, who were at the bottom two spots in the order respectively.Zitella had a multi-hit game, including an RBI single in the top of the eighth, to give him a hit in four of the last six games.

• RHP Wellington Aracena (1-2, 8.71):0.2 IP, 4 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, K
• RHP Lucas Gordillo (3.38): 3.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, K
• RHP Christian Rodriguez (6.32): 4 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 6 K

Out of the three pitchers that appeared in Wednesday’s game, Rodriguez recorded six of the eight total strikeouts. The 19-year-old right-hander did allow two home runs, but he set a career-high for strikeouts in an outing.