B-Mets - Game Notes

LAST GAME:

The B-Mets rode a five-run first inning to a 5-4
victory over the reeling Connecticut Defenders, who have lost
a season-worst four straight games. Connecticut put up two
runs in the first against Dylan Owen with an RBI double from
Mike McBryde and a Brett Pill RBI single. In a 2-0 hole, Binghamton
erupted for five runs off Defenders’ starter Brooks
McNiven in the first, helped along by two Connecticut errors.
Josh Thole tied the score with a two-run single to right and,
later in the frame, two runs came across on an error by second
baseman Brock Bond. Jose Coronado concluded the
scoring with an RBI single to center scoring D.J. Wabick. The
Defenders added single runs in the fifth and again in the
eighth to get within one, but Connor Robertson quieted them
in the ninth for his fifth save in as many chances. Owen
picked up his third win in his last four starts with five innings
of three-run work. He did allow a season-high 11 hits.
McNiven didn’t make it out of the first inning and drew his
fourth loss.

STARTING PITCHING MATCHUP:

LHP Eric Niesen will make his
eighth start of the year for the B-Mets tonight. He notched his
first AA win in his last go around July 17 versus Erie by allowing
four runs in five innings in Binghamton’s 8-7 triumph over
the SeaWolves. He is 1-4 with a 6.82 ERA in 31.2 innings with
the B-Mets. Niesen has struck out 35 men but has walked 19
over his seven starts. He opened 2009 with St. Lucie (High-A)
and was 3-4 with a 3.28 ERA in 57.2 innings. Last season,
Niesen appeared in 26 games for St. Lucie, including 24
starts, and totaled a 6-12 record with a 4.64 ERA in 118.1
innings. He was the Mets’ third-round choice in 2007 out of
Wake Forest.

LHP Madison Bumgarner is slated to make his 11th start
since joining the Defenders in the middle of May. He threw
5.1 innings at New Hampshire July 16 allowing just a hit and
four walks in a no-decision. Bumgarner is 6-1 with a 1.59 ERA
in 62.1 innings with Connecticut. He opened up 2009 in San
Jose’s (High-A) rotation and went 3-1 with a 1.48 ERA in 24.1
innings before his promotion. Last season, he won the South
Atlantic League pitching triple crown with Augusta (Low-A). He
led the league with a 15-3 record, a 1.46 ERA and 164 strikeouts
in 141.2 innings. He was selected 10th overall in the
2007 draft out of high school in Hudson, NC and signed for
$2 million.

BULLISH BULLPEN:

As much as the bats have been the story
in Binghamton’s recent stretch of wins, the bullpen has been
equally responsible. In the B-Mets last four games, the pen
has offered up 13.1 innings allowing just one run on eight
hits, equating to a 0.68 ERA.