Alay Soler #58

Alain (Alay) Soler attended Espa Armani Arenado in Pinal Del Rio...Played baseball for four years...Graduated from Nancy Uranga University with a physical education degree...Played baseball...Represented Cuba in the World University Games in Cuba in 1998 and in Italy in 2002...Also participated in the World Youth Games in 1996...Was a teammate of Jose Contreras on Pinal Del Rio...Pitched for the Cuban National team.

2006

Made his Major League debut on May 24 in a start against Philadelphia at Shea...Pitched 6.0 innings, permitting five hits, three runs, two earned, with four walks and five strikeouts...Did not factor in the decision...Collected his first Major League victory on June 5 at Los Angeles...Worked 7.0 innings, allowing six hits, one run, earned, with one walk and seven strikeouts as the Mets defeated the Dodgers, 4-1...Tossed his first career complete game and shutout on June 10 at Arizona...Permitted just two hits, while walking three and striking out two in the Mets' 5-0 victory...Became the first Mets rookie pitcher to hurl a shutout since Jason Jacome on July 7, 1994 at Los Angeles in a six-hit, 3-0 win...The last Mets rookie right-handed pitcher to toss a shutout was Dwight Gooden on Sept. 12, 1984, a five-hitter, in a 2-0 victory over Pittsburgh at Shea...Gooden had two other shutouts in 1984: Sept. 7 vs. Chicago in a 10-0 win and May 11 at Los Angeles in a 2-0 triumph...Went 2-0 with a 0.82 ERA (two earned runs/22.0 innings) in three starts from June 5-June 21...Held opponents to a .154...batting average (12-78) during that span...Is one of eight Cuban-born players to play for the Mets...The others include: righthanded pitchers Ed Bauta and Orlando Hernandez, outfielders Jose Cardenal and Eli Marrero, and infielders Chico Fernandez, Rey Ordonez, and Jorge Toca...Allowed three earned runs or fewer in five of his eight starts...Began the season with St. Lucie (A) of the Florida State League...Went 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA (two earned runs/30.0 innings) from April 7-May 1...Was promoted to Binghamton (AA) of the Eastern League on May 3...Went 1-0 with a 2.75 ERA (six earned runs/19.2 innings) in three starts for Binghamton before being called up to the Majors on May 22nd...Was optioned to Norfolk (AAA) of the International League on July 3...Finished the season with the Tides, going 1-1 with a 6.30 ERA (seven earned runs/10.0 innings) in two starts from Aug. 27-Sept. 2...Allowed two earned runs or fewer in nine of his 11 Minor League starts...Had a combined 67 strikeouts in 59.2 innings pitched (10.1 strikeouts per nine innings)...Held batters to a .196 batting average (42-214).

2005

Was 3-2 with a 2.37 ERA in eight games (six starts) for Ponce of the Puerto Rican Winter League...In 38.0 innings, he surrendered 24 hits, 11 runs, ten earned, with 11 walks and 25 strikeouts...His 2.37 ERA ranked fourth in the League.

2004

His only pitching appearances were for Escogido in the Dominican Winter League after defecting from Cuba in November, 2003...Went 0-2 with a 5.28 ERA in five games...In 15.1 innings, he allowed 14 hits, nine runs, earned, with six walks and 23 strikeouts...Notched 10 strikeouts and permitted one hit in 5.0 innings of work on October 26th vs. Estrellas...Averaged 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings.