B-Mets Game Notes

LAST GAME: The B-Mets ran into the buzzsaw that is New
Britain last night, losing 3-1. New Britain has won six straight
games and seven of eight overall. Binghamton broke on top in
the fourth inning when Nick Evans, in his first game back with
the B-Mets, hit a solo home run to right off of Rock Cats’
starter Cole DeVries. The 1-0 lead was short-lived as Brandon
Roberts took Binghamton starter Tobi Stoner deep in the fifth
with a man on to give New Britain a 2-1 lead. The Rock Cats
would add another run in the eighth off Roy Merritt. With two
outs, Danny Valencia tripled into the right-field corner and
Whit Robbins drove him in with a clean single to right, making
it 3-1. DeVries tied a season-high with seven innings of work
giving up just the one run to win his third game. Stoner, once
again, pitched well, giving the B-Mets 6.2 innings of two-run
work, making just the one mistake to Roberts. Anthony Slama
nailed it down for the Rock Cats with a scoreless ninth for his
ninth save in 11 chances.

STARTING PITCHING MATCHUP: RHP Ryan Coultas will get the
ball tonight for Binghamton. Coultas is making his eighth start
of the year and is coming of his third win last Sunday in Game
1 of the doubleheader with Trenton. He threw 5.1 innings
giving up one run on four hits to win 2-1. For the year, Coultas
is 3-1 with a 2.54 ERA in 39 innings. He is a converted infielder
who began his pitching career as a reliever last season
for St. Lucie (High-A) appearing in 47 games with a 4.17 ERA
in 69 innings. He was the Mets’ sixth-round choice in 2004
out of UC-Davis, where he starred as a shortstop.
RHP Matt Fox will oppose Coultas on the bump for New Britain.
Fox won in his last go around, throwing 5.1 innings giving
up two runs against Portland with a season-high six strikeouts
May 17. Fox is 2-2 with a 3.96 ERA in 38.2 innings this season.
Last year, Fox worked from both the bullpen and the
rotation for Fort Myers (High-A) tallying a 7-7 record with a
3.37 ERA spanning 117.2 innings. He was taken by the Twins
in the supplemental first round in 2004, 35th overall, out of
the University of Central Florida, where he was a first-team All-
American going 14-2 with a 1.85 ERA in 111.2 innings for the
Golden Knights.

HATS OFF TO NICK EVANS: In Nick Evans second at-bat since
being optioned to Binghamton from Buffalo (AAA), he took
New Britain starter Cole DeVries yard. Evans has hit 15 HRs in
a B-Mets’ uniform over the course of 76 games in his career.

WABICK WEARING ‘EM OUT: B-Mets outfielder D.J. Wabick
extended his hitting streak to eight games with a 1-4 night
yesterday. He is hitting .414 (12-29) during his current streak
and his hit in 11 straight games at NYSEG Stadium