The Staten Island Yankees (5-12) came back to Richmond County Bank Ballpark after a four-game road trip, where they were would lose three of four games.
Juan De Paula (0-0, 3.07) started for the Staten Island Yankees. De Paula would go five-plus innings, giving up six hits, four runs (all earned), three walks, and one strikeout, getting a no-decision:
“He was very efficient early on, and I think he ran out of gas a little bit towards the end,” Manager Lino Diaz speaking about Juan De Paula’s pitching performance.
De Paula would also sit 90-92 with his fastball, spiking at 95.
Juan De Paula allowed four runs in five innings. (Robert M. Pimpsner/Pinstriped Prospects)
The bullpen would be inconsistent in this game. Brooks Kriske (0-1, 1.29) came in for De Paula in the sixth and would load the bases. Kriske was able to get out of this jam without giving up a run:
“I thought he came in a little off, but I thought he did a good job getting out if it,” Diaz speaking of Kriske. “He minimized the damage, only one run, that inning with the bases loaded and no one out. I thought that was a very good job of getting out of that.”
Kriske would not be so lucky in the seventh inning, giving up that one run. He would take the loss.
Garrett Mundell (1-2, 5.14) and Abel Duarte (0-1, 9.00) would come in for the final two innings. Mundell struggled some and would give up two earned runs in this eighth, his one inning of work. Duarte came in for the ninth and pitched a 1-2-3 inning. His fastball sat around 94mph.
The SI Yanks would finally show some of their offensive potential in the game. Of the team’s eleven hits, Junior Soto had three. One of these hits would be a solo homer to left center in the third inning. Soto would drive in another run in the fourth inning, on an RBI single.
“When he connects, that is the type of guy we have seen,” Diaz said of Soto. “When he gets his pitches, he can do some damage.”
Jesus Bastidas and Jack Thoreson would each add an RBI hit in the fourth inning. Once the team lost the lead in the sixth inning, the rally attempts were not successful.
The weather might have played a part in the way the ball traveled. At almost 90 degrees at the start of the game, with very high humidity, the ball traveled well.
“Early on in the game, the ball was traveling. But, as the game evolved, I thought it got very humid, and the ball wasn’t going as much,” said Diaz. “I think it was Kyle [Gray] hit a ball in the gap, and the ball just didn’t go. I think if he hits that ball earlier today, that ball goes out of the park.”
Star of the Game:
Junior Soto went 3-3, with a homer and an RBI single. This was his breakout game offensively of the season.
Roster Change:
Mike Ford has returned to Staten Island on a rehab assignment. (Robert M. Pimpsner/Pinstriped Prospects)
Mike Ford joins the Staten Island Yankees on a rehab assignment. Ford made his professional debut with the Staten Island Yankees in 2013, playing in 33 games. Ford also played four games with the SI Yanks in 2016. He will be with the team for the next couple of games.
First Base Coach:
Ricky Surum was given the job as first base coach this game.
Game Note:
The SI Yanks have the lowest team batting average in the NY-Penn League. After this game, the team batting average finally crossed the Mendoza Line (.203).
Next Game:
The Staten Island Yankees will travel to Brooklyn for Game three of the series. Nolan Martinez (1-0, 3.38) is scheduled to start.
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