Yanks Prospect Rodriguez-Cruz Outduels Mets Prospect Tong

It was a battle of potential future aces as New York Yankees prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz outdueled Mets prospect Jonah Tong in the opener of the Double-A Subway Series in Somerset, New Jersey, Tuesday afternoon.

While the final score read 3-2 in favor of the Somerset Patriots, the game was all about the two starting pitchers.

Rodriguez-Cruz, who is ranked sixth overall in the Yankees farm system, stymied the Binghamton Rumble Ponies with a two-hit shutout over seven innings of work. The lanky 6-foot-3, 160 lb. Rodriguez-Cruz racked up eight strikeouts, allowed only two runners to second base all afternoon.

In fact he had Mets top prospect Jett Williams totally flabbergasted with a 1-for-3 afternoon that included a punchout in the top of the fourth inning.

In four Double-A starts, Rodriguez-Cruz has thrown 26 innings over which he has allowed five earned runs, and tallied 23 strikeouts. He owns an ERA of 1.73; a WHIP of 0.88 and a .183 opponents batting average.

Meanwhile, Binghamton countered with Jonah Tong, who has shot up the Mets farm system, and is currently ranked second overall behind Williams among Mets top prospects.

Tong silenced the Yankees Double-A hitters over five innings of three-hit ball. He racked up eight strikeouts, including striking out Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr. twice.

Scoring in the game didn't take place until the seventh inning when Somerset scratched out three runs on a throwing error, fielder's Choice and a balk call. Somerset didn't even need to get a ball out of the infield.

The Somerset Patriots (21-13) are just two back of the Rumble Ponies (23-11) in the second half standings of the Double-A Eastern League. Binghamton won the first half title going away. If Somerset can finish first in the second half, they would face Binghamton in the opening round of the playoffs.