Mets Minors: Jonah Tong, Joander Suarez Twirl Gems (2024)

On the final day of July, the Mets offense had the bats break out at most of the affiliates as three teams ended up putting up at least six runs on the scoreboard. On the mound, two starters had at least nine strikeouts on the mound. Find out who shone the brightest heading into August by checking out Wednesday’s action below.

Triple-A

Columbus Clippers (50-52) 12, Syracuse Mets (62-41) 8

BOX SCORE

• LF Luke Ritter:1-for-4, R, HR (21), 3 RBIs (73), 3 Ks (.880 OPS)
• CF Jackie Bradley Jr.:1-for-4, R, HR (2), RBI (2), BB, K (.806 OPS)
• 2B Brett Baty:1-for-4, R, BB (.897 OPS)
• SS Luisangel Acuña:1-for-4, R, 2B, 2 RBIs (37), SB, BB, K (.669 OPS)
• C Austin Allen: 2-for-4, R, HR (5), 2 RBIs (17), K (.880 OPS)

The Syracuse offense got out to a quick start Wednesday afternoon by putting up three runs in the top of the second. Bradley Jr. ended up hitting a home run off the scoreboard in right. Later in the inning, Acuña hit a two-run double. He would steal his 31st base of the year later in the game.

In the seventh, Ritter hit a three-run home run to cut the Syracuse deficit from 10-5 to 10-8. He has homered in back-to-back games and has five RBIs in the last four games.

Are we sure Luke Ritter is real?

See Also

Yankees 'sitting in it' as slide turns to Subway sweepMets score 6 in 4th, go on to blow out TwinsMets Minors Recap: Parada, Mauricio, Williams Tally Huge Days - Metsmerized OnlineAlonso homers to start the Mets on their way to a 15-2 blowout against the Twins

His 21st homer of the season 🤯 pic.twitter.com/9JJzHcj5HO

— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) July 31, 2024

• LHP Joey Lucchesi (5-6, 5.14 ERA):2 1/3 IP, 6 ER, 5 H, 5 BB, 2 K (33 of 74 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Justin Jarvis (6.46):2 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 2 K (34 of 55 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Carlos Guzman (4.91):1 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 K (23 of 39 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Jawilme Ramirez (0.00):1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, BB, 2 K (14 of 21 pitches for strikes)

It was a rough afternoon for the Syracuse pitching staff. Four of the five pitchers who appeared in the game allowed at least one run and nobody struck out more than two batters. Since re-joining the Syracuse squad, Lucchesi has walked five batters in each of his last two starts.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (51-44) 7, New Hampshire FisherCats (38-57) 0 (7 Innings)

BOX SCORE

• DH Stanley Consuegra:3-for-4, 2 R, 2B, HR (3), 3 RBIs (13), K (.688 OPS)
• 3B Jeremiah Jackson:2-for-4, 2 R, HR (14), 2 RBIs (42), K (.649 OPS)
• 1B Jaylen Palmer:1-for-3, R, HR (7), RBI (18), 2 Ks (.738 OPS)
• C Drake Osborn:1-for-3, 2B, RBI (18), K (.629 OPS)
• RF Matt Rudick:2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, K (.708 OPS)

It was a home run party for the Rumble Ponies in their rain-shortened game on Wednesday. Binghamton put up three runs in the bottom of the third, which included a solo home run from Palmer (on his birthday) and a two-run home run by Jackson. It was Jackson’s 14th home run of the year and his fifth this month.

As for Consuegra, he had his second three-hit game of the month and he extended his hit streak to five games. His three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth put the Rumble Ponies up 7-0.

• RHP Joander Suarez (6-5, 4.30):6 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 9 K (54 of 75 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Sean Reid-Foley (0.00):1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 3 K (9 of 13 pitches for strikes)

Suarez was absolutely dominant for Binghamton. The only hit he gave up was a single with one out in the sixth inning. The right-hander struck out the first four batters he faced. The 24-year-old has not allowed a run in each of his last two starts, and it is the third time this year he has struck out at least nine batters in a start.

Reid-Foley continued his rehab assignment by striking out the side to preserve the one-hit shutout.

High-A – Game 1

Aberdeen IronBirds (51-46) 3, Brooklyn Cyclones (45-52) 2 In 8 Innings

BOX SCORE

• SS Mateo Gil:3-for-4, 2 R, 2B, HR (6), RBI (23), K (.678 OPS)
• RF Jefrey De Los Santos:1-for-2, RBI (28), BB, K (.625 OPS)
• 3B Jacob Reimer:1-for-3, 2B, HBP (1.167 OPS)
• CF Nick Morabito:1-for-4, 2 K (.721 OPS)

The Cyclones were 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position in Game 1. They were able to erase an early 2-0 deficit. In the top of the fourth, Gil got the Cyclones on the board with a solo shot. He had three hits in a game for the second time in the last five days. De Los Santos would tie the game two innings later with an RBI single.

• RHP Jack Wenninger (3.78):4 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 5 K (44 of 73 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Ben Simon (3.73):1 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, BB, K (16 of 28 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Eduardo Herrera (0.00): 1 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, BB, 2 K (13 of 29 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Justin Lawson (1-3, 3.09):2/3 IP, 1 R, 0 H (6 of 8 pitches for strikes)

After allowing a two-run single in the first inning, Wenninger shut out the IronBirds the rest of the way. However, he has walked three batters in each of his last two starts. Lawson took the loss when Aberdeen hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth.

Game 2

Brooklyn Cyclones (46-52) 4, Aberdeen IronBirds (51-47) 3 In 7 Innings

BOX SCORE

• 2B Junior Tilien:1-for-3, R, 2 RBIs (25) (.623 OPS)
• LF Christopher Suero:1-for-3, R, 2 SB, BB (.658 OPS)
• RF Nick Morabito:1-for-4, R, 2 SB, K (.717 OPS)
• C ChristianPregent: 0-for-2, RBI (12). BB (.526 OPS)

The Cyclones did not have an extra-base hit in Game 2, but they found a way to record the victory. Tilien drove in both runs without getting a hit as he had RBI groundouts in the first and third inning. Pregent’s go-ahead RBI also came on a groundout in the sixth.

• RHP Jonah Tong (4-3, 3.36):5 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, BB, 10 K (58 of 85 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Joshua Cornielly (4.35, 8th save):1 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, K (14 of 21 pitches for strikes)

Jonah Tong’s dominance continued on Wednesday. Tong allowed a two-run double in the third, but other than that, he shut down the Aberdeen lineup. The 21-year-old recorded his fourth double-digit strikeout game of the season. He has a 2.48 ERA and 50 strikeouts over his last seven starts.

Low-A

St. Lucie Mets (33-65) 8, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (50-45) 6

BOX SCORE

• DH Ronald Hernandez:3-for-5, R (.758 OPS)
• 3B Boston Baro: 2-for-4, R, 2B, 2 RBIs (36) (.762 OPS)
• SS Colin Houck:1-for-4, R, HR (4), 2 RBIs (41), BB, 2 K (.617 OPS)
• CF A.J. Ewing:1-for-5, R, 3B, RBI (20), 2 K (.585 OPS)
• RF Kevin Villavicencio:2-for-4, 2 R (.579 OPS)

After the first three innings, the Mets were trailing 4-2. Houck cut that deficit to one with a solo home run in the top of the fourth. One inning later, he drove in another run with a fielder’s choice. That home run by Houck was his first one since June 27.

Baro broke a 6-6 tie with a sacrifice fly in the sixth and had an RBI double for a key insurance run in the eighth. The 19-year-old ended the month of July with 27 hits, the second most in the Florida State League.

• RHP Edgar Moreta (6.85):4 IP, 4 R, 1 H, BB, 4 K (42 of 72 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Nick Bautista III (2-1, 7.77):1 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, K (10 of 22 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Austin Troesser (4.78):1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, K (9 of 16 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Alan Perdomo (3.74, 3rd save): 3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, K (19 of 26 pitches for strikes)

The St. Lucie defense made four errors on Wednesday, which caused Moreta not to allow a single earned run. He has gone at least four innings in three of his last five outings for St. Lucie. Meanwhile, Perdomo picked up a three-inning save, which was the longest outing of the year for the 22-year-old.