51s win bullpen game over Fresno
A couple of days before he was scheduled to start Thursday for the 51s, Ricky Knapp was sent to Double-A Binghamton.
The righty will start Friday for the the Rumble Ponies in their doubleheader.
That move left the 51s without a starter for Thursday’s game against Fresno. But the bullpen, forced to work extra, led Las Vegas to a 6-0 victory on Thursday night over the Grizzlies at Chukchansi Field.
In addition to Knapp, Gavin Cecchini and Matt Reynolds both left the 51s, too, with the two infielders headed in the other direction. Both were activated by the Mets on Thursday, leaving Las Vegas without two of their regulars.
But despite all that, Las Vegas (49-76) won its third straight game in Fresno (69-56). Luis Mateo got the spot start and turned in three scoreless innings, giving up just two hits while striking out five.
Beck Wheeler, who followed, struck out five of his own in his two innings pitched. The recently-signed Neil Wagner made his 51s debut, coming in after Wheeler and also tossing two scoreless innings.
Las Vegas turned to Kyle Regnault and Ben Rowen for an inning apiece in the final two innings of the victory. By that point, they had already broken through and padded their lead.
The 51s jumped out to a lead in the fourth on a Travis Taijeron RBI single and added one in the seventh with a Phillip Evans home run before that.
In the eighth, a Cody Decker RBI double drove in a pair and a Jayce Boyd single plated one. An inning later, new 51 Travis Snider’s RBI double drove in Kevin Plawecki to cap the Las Vegas scoring.
Up next
Who: 51s at Fresno Grizzlies
When: 7:05 p.m. today
Where: Chukchansi Park
Starters: Mitch Atkins (4-6, 6.87 ERA) vs. Rogelio Armenteros (6-1, 2.82 ERA)
Next five
Saturday: Salt Lake at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday: Salt Lake at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
Monday: Salt Lake at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
Tuesday: Salt Lake at Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday: Off
Update
Both Gavin Cecchini and Matt Reynolds joined the New York Mets on Thursday as the team placed Jose Reyes on the 10-day disabled list and sent reliever Kevin McGowan to Triple-A Las Vegas.
Infielder Jeff McNeil joined the 51s from Class-A Advanced Port St. Lucie.
Contact Betsy Helfand at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BetsyHelfand on Twitter.
