Photo courtesy Harrisburg Senators
B-Mets 6, Senators 0
For the second time in their three-game series, the Binghamton Mets blanked the Harrisburg Senators, this time 6-0, to complete the sweep between the two first-place clubs.
Dugout Chatter
Manager Matt LeCroy on their August push for the playoffs – –
“Nobody said it was going to be easy and we’re making it a little bit tougher on ourselves. It’s how you bounce back and how you can make adjustments. Hopefully we can get some people to step up and get some stuff going. If not, what you’ve worked for all year goes away. We’re in that part of the season – either you can do it or you can’t…This is the part where you can man up and see who wants it and who don’t.”
LeCroy on the extremes he may have to go to with game strategy – –
“Right now I’m in a situation where I may have to start doing the ‘Gene Mauch way’. As soon as you get on first, you go to second with a bunt. Even with one out, maybe just to get them out there where you have a chance. With our pitching, you don’t have to score many. But you have to score to win, and we haven’t been doing that all.”
How bad was the offense this entire weekend?
* The last time the Senators scored only two runs in a three-game series was August 19th – 21st, 2011 when the Erie SeaWolves also swept them (2-1, 7-0, 5-1)
* In 93 at-bats, the Senators managed only 14 hits (two extra-base) for a .151 batting average and .194 slugging percentage.
* The Senators had only 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position and managed to scratch out a lone hit.
* In all three games, it took the Senators at least one time through the order before they even got a hit. It wasn’t until the 22nd batter on Friday, 14th on Saturday, and 10th on Sunday.
* The Senators lowered their team batting average from .2418 to .2395 on the season.
* In Sunday’s game, no Senator reached second base until the ninth inning when the B-Mets gave Billy Burns the bag on a defensive indifference.
Mayflies & Big Flies 
Not sure why, with a relative abundance of speed all season, there has been a dirth of bunting with first man on base. Is there an issue with lack of bunting ability on the team this year? I don’t know many who would hesistate to “take the bat out of the hands” of a .248 hitter with 0 outs and a man on first, regardless of the score, inning, or time of the season! If you can’t demonstrate the ability to get a clutch hit with men on base, then maybe you should be required to bunt!
The current mindset is to not give away outs like that…but with the team struggling offensively as much as the Sens, bunting a runner to second base only requires one base hit to score instead of multiple.
You have given me an idea for a post…hopefully I can research and writ u for tomorrow or Wednesday.