Las Vegas' Verrett stellar into ninth inning

Logan Verrett had a shot at making an indelible memory Monday night. He had to settle for one of the best performances of his season, but he's not complaining about it.

"If I had been able to finish the two-hit shutout, it would have been a great accomplishment. That would have been something really special that I would remember all my life," the Mets' No. 20 prospect said. "Unfortunately, I wasn't able to, but I really appreciate the fact that [the coaching staff] gave me the chance."

Verrett took his bid into the ninth inning, when he gave up a solo homer to Shane Peterson, the final batter he'd faced. The dinger was the third hit Verrett allowed over his eight-plus frames, and he struck out seven while walking three in Triple-A Las Vegas' 4-2 win at Sacramento on Monday.

"I really tried tonight focusing on every single pitch. It's really easy to get away from that in this game," he said. "I got to do that tonight, and it was nice, allowed me to go through those eight innings."

The victory gave the 24-year-old righty a 9-4 record with a 4.57 ERA in his first season in the Pacific Coast League. He threw 115 pitches -- 74 for strikes.

After starting off with two smooth innings, Verrett ran into trouble in the third. He walked Colin Walsh to start the frame, and No. 17 Oakland prospect Billy Burns moved Walsh into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Andy Parrino singled to put runners on the corners with one out.

Verrett fanned Peterson and got Daric Barton to fly out in foul territory down the left-field line after a 10-pitch at-bat.

"That was great. I had heck of a 3-2 battle with Barton where I had to execute every pitch," the Baylor University product said.

Verrett turned in perfect innings in the fourth and fifth and worked around a leadoff walk to Parrino in the sixth.

"It was one of those nights where my stuff got better as the night went on. I was able to locate the fastball better and my offspeed stuff got sharper. I got into a groove," he said. "Plus, your confidence grows with those quick innings. Before I knew it, I looked up and it was the seventh." 

After hitting Alden Carrithers with a pitch with one out in that inning, Verrett induced a double play from Luis Martinez, then zipped through a 1-2-3 eighth.

At that point, Verrett had thrown 110 pitches -- 12 more than he'd thrown in any other 2014 outing -- but he wasn't worried 51s manager Wally Backman and pitching coach Frank Viola were going to tell him his night was over.

"I knew my pitch count was up there, but I figured it was still in the 90s since they let me go back out," Verrett said. "But I knew if I went back out there, I'd have to get the leadoff guy or I'd be out."

The leadoff guy, Peterson, drilled his 2-2 offering over the center-field fence.

"That's one where I tip my hat to him. Peterson's a good hitter, and I got him in the first three at-bats, but then I went inside on him with a good fastball, in down at the knees, and he was able to get the [bat] head out," he said. "You can't be too mad at yourself, because you made a decent pitch."

Shutting the door after the leadoff homer proved difficult. Reliever Gonzalez German walked Barton, who moved to second on a groundout by Jose Martinez. Nick Buss followed with a bunt single, and a throwing error by Las Vegas first baseman Brandon Allen allowed Carrithers to reach, Barton to score and Buss to move to third. Anthony Aliotti walked to load the bases with one out. German got Walsh to hit into a game-ending double play and picked up his third save.

Verrett admitted to getting a bit nervous while waiting for those final outs.

"I was on the first step of the dugout," he said. "I was waiting for the double-play ball a couple batters before, but I'll take it when they got it."

Matt den Dekker went 3-for-4 with a home run for the 51s.

Burns made a remarkable play for the River Cats in center field, his second highlight-reel effort in as many games.

With den Dekker on first and one out in the top of the third, Matt Reynolds blooped a ball into shallow center. Burns raced in and dove to make the catch, then rose and fired to first to double up den Dekker.