B-Mets Game Notes

LAST GAME:

In front of a terrific crowd of 5,689 strong, the BMets
edged the Altoona Curve 4-3. Ruben Tejada led the way
with a 2-4 day, including a double, a homer and three RBIs.
The young shortstop got the B-Mets on the board in the first
inning with his fifth homer of the season, a solo shot off Curve
starter Derek Hankins. Altoona rallied to tie against B-Mets
starter Jenrry Mejia in the fifth on Jonel Pacheco’s RBI double,
the outfielder’s fifth double of the series. Binghamton responded
with a three-run seventh inning off hard-throwing
righty Ramon Aguero. Emmanuel Garcia led off the inning with
a flare into center for a single and promptly stole second and
took third on a wild pitch. With one out, reliever Jose De La
Torre drove him home with a single up the middle past the
drawn in infield to give the B-Mets the lead. Later on Tejada
contributed his second big hit of the game, a bases-clearing
double over the head of Jeff Corsaletti in the left, pushing the
lead to 4-1. It would prove to be the difference as Altoona
rallied for a pair of runs off De La Torre and closer Roy Merritt
in the eighth. However, Merritt nailed down his 14th save with
a scoreless ninth, despite allowing the tying run to reach scoring
position. De La Torre was the winner, his third of the year.

STARTING PITCHING MATCHUP:

LHP Eric Niesen will take to
the hill for the B-Mets final game of the season. The lefty
tossed a season-high 7.1 innings in his last start at Bowie
September 2. Niesen allowed just a run on five hits and struck
out five. He is 4-6 with a 4.86 ERA in 76 innings with Binghamton.
Since August 1, he has been filthy with a 3-0 mark
and a 2.36 ERA in 34.1 innings with 40 punchouts. He began
the season with St. Lucie (High-A), where he 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.

RHP Michael Crotta will get the ball for the 27th time this year
for Altoona. His last start came at Blair County Ballpark September
2 versus Akron where he tossed 5.2 innings and surrendered
four runs on eight hits for a no-decision. Crotta is 6-
8 with a 5.00 ERA in 136.2 innings. Left-handed hitters are
batting .322 against the righty. Last season, Crotta led the
Carolina League (High-A) in starts (28) with Lynchburg. He
went 9-10 with a 4.67 ERA in 146.1 innings, the third-most in
the league, while allowing a league-high 171 hits. Crotta was
the Pirates 17th round-choice in 2006 out of Florida Atlantic.

LUTZ ON BASE:

In the last two games, B-Met third baseman
Zach Lutz has reached base in seven of his eight plate appearances.
This comes after Lutz reached base in just three
of his first 22 times at bat since joining Binghamton.