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8/7/09

Binghamton 5, Harrisburg 3




Binghamton had not won a road series since its opening series at Trenton April 8-10 until Thursday night. After losing the first game of the three-game set at Harrisburg, the B-Mets responded with wins in the final two games, including a 5-3 triumph Thursday night at Metro Bank Park to take the series from the Senators 2-1. Connor Robertson proved to be the stabilizing arm at the end of the bullpen, bailing Binghamton out of a bases-loaded one-out jam in the eighth to preserve the lead.

The B-Mets took a 5-1 lead into the eighth inning after Roy Merritt induced a fielder’s choice to short off the bat of Jemel Spearman with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh. Merritt remained on for the eighth. After retiring Michael Daniel on a foulout to left, three straight Harrisburg hitters reached on singles to load the bases. The next hitter, Bill Rhinehart, worked the count full and drew a walk to force in a run, cutting the Senators deficit to three.

Robertson came on for Merritt and promptly got a fielder’s choice to first from Luke Montz, which brought home Harrisburg’s third run. Representing the go-ahead run, Francisco Plasencia flied out to center to end the threat.

In the ninth, Robertson scattered a hit and struck out two, including Joel Guzman to notch his ninth save in nine opportunities. He tossed 1.2 scoreless innings for his longest save of the season.

Binghamton (42-67) was first on the scoreboard again Thursday night. After a Lucas Duda double and a D.J. Wabick single, Jonathan Malo brought home Duda with an RBI single to right off starter Erik Arnesen. Mark Kiger followed with an RBI single of his own to right, scoring Wabick to make it 2-0.

The third inning brought further run-scoring. Josh Thole, who was previously 0-8 in the series, doubled down the right-field line to open the frame. After Duda walked, Wabick doubled into the alleyway in left-center to score both men and put the B-Mets ahead 4-0. Wabick went 3-4 with two RBIs.

After striking out Malo, Arnesen intentionally walked Kiger to get to Binghamton starter Dylan Owen. Owen made the Senators righty pay with an RBI single up the middle, driving home Wabick for the B-Mets fifth run.

In addition to his RBI single, Owen picked up his fourth win with 6.2 innings of one-run ball, while allowing six hits.

Arnesen was hung with the loss for Harrisburg (50-59) after allowing a season-worst 11 hits in 4.2 innings, surrendering all five runs to fall to 6-5 on the year.

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