Mets' Gibbons dominates in Minors debut

Nearly a year after signing with the Mets, Mike Gibbons finally got a chance to make his first impression.

The 22-year-old right-hander dazzled in his professional debut, holding Clearwater to just a pair of hits while striking out four over seven scoreless innings as Class A Advanced St. Lucie edged Clearwater 3-2 in 13 innings Monday night.

Gibbons worked around one-out singles in the second and third innings and a hit batsman in the seventh. He retired 12 of the final 13 batters he faced.

Gibbons signed with the Mets as an undrafted free agent out of Wheaton College last August, but had worked only in extended spring training until New York sent him to St. Lucie on Monday for the spot start. The right-hander took the roster spot of closer Akeel Morris, who was promoted to the Majors this past weekend.

The 22-year-old is ticketed to continue pitching with Class A Short Season Brooklyn when its season begins June 19.

Gibbons pitched in a dozen games for Wheaton in 2014, going 4-1 with a 1.89 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 57 innings. He owned a 2.63 ERA in 106 innings, but was overlooked at last year's Draft.

New York gave him a contract after the right-hander ranked third in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League last summer, a circuit for college players. Gibbons went 4-2 with a 4.79 ERA and 59 strikeouts over 50 2/3 innings in 10 starts with the Torrington Titans in 2014. He pitched a seven-inning no-hitter against the Seacoast Mavericks on June 28, 2013 with the Titans.

The Hartford native joins Chris Denorfia and Jamie Baker as the only three Wheaton players to have signed a contract with a Major League club.

St. Lucie won in the 13th when Ahmed Rosario singled home Stefan Sabol. Cody Forsythe (2-2) surrendered the game-winning hit.

Mike Hepple (1-2) pitched two perfect innings and Kyle Regnault struck out two of the last three batters en route to his first save.