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Luisangel Acuña already is showing he can find a way to get it done — even if it’s not pretty.
Acuña, whom the Mets obtained from the Texas Rangers in the Max Scherzer trade before the deadline, led the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies to a 4-3 walk-off victory over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Toronto Blue Jays’ affiliate.
Acuña’s timely — and well-placed — bouncer came in extra innings of a seven-inning game that was played after the Rumble Ponies completed their nine-inning game that had been suspended because of rain on Friday night.
With Hayden Senger as the automatic runner on second base in the bottom of the eighth, Mateo Gil placed down a bunt single that put runners on the corners with no outs.
The Fisher Cats then decided to walk JT Schwartz intentionally to load the bases.
Acuña — a prized shortstop prospect and brother of Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. — came up next and hit a soft bouncer past Fisher Cats left-hander Mason Fulharty.
Shortstop Trevor Schwecke fielded the ball, but slipped while throwing home, for an error that allowed the game-winning run to score.
Binghamton won the first game 4-1, in which Acuña went 1-for-5.
Though Acuña is playing shortstop now for the Rumble Ponies, the Mets, who have Francisco Lindor under contract for eight more seasons, want the 21-year-old to build his “positional versatility,” as he had been doing in the Rangers’ minor league system.
Mets general manager Billy Eppler pointed to Acuña’s “athleticism” as a reason they were excited to add him to the organization.
“We’re excited to get a prospect of this caliber into the system,’’ Eppler said. “This is talent you can’t access.”
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