Portland 11, Binghamton 9

from press release:
Sean Ratliff hit a pinch-hit, three-run homer in eighth to even the score at nine, but Ryan Lavarnway struck the winning blow with a two-run blast in the tenth to send Portland past the B-Mets 11-9 in 10 innings at NYSEG Stadium Wednesday night. Zach Lutz was the offensive superlative with three hits in four trips.


Portland (52-52) struck the scoreboard first courtesy of two-run error from starter Mark Cohoon. After striking out the first two hitters in the first, the lefty gave up back-to-back singles to Ray Chang and Luis Exposito. Anthony Rizzo followed and hit a check-swing dribbler to the pitcher, however Cohoon threw the ball down the right-field line to bring home both runners, making it 2-0 Sea Dogs.


Cohoon was harassed again in the second to the tune of five runs on six hits and a walk, upping the Portland advantage to 7-0. The left-hander exited in the third after allowing seven runs on eight hits over 2 1/3 innings.

Binghamton (53-52) cracked the run column in the second courtesy of an RBI single from Salomon Manriquez, chasing home Lutz, who had doubled.



The B-Mets announced their official return to contention in the third with a four-run rally with two outs. Marshall Hubbard and Lutz ripped back-to-back RBI doubles off Sea Dogs’ starter Stephen Fife. After Josh Satin worked a walk, Manriquez put the finishing touches on the frame with a two-run double to left, trimming the deficit to two, 7-5.



Edgar Ramirez followed Cohoon and worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief before being tagged for a pair of solo homers from Ray Chang and Anthony Rizzo, putting Portland up by four, 9-5.



Roy Merritt spelled Ramirez after the blasts and worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings to keep Binghamton in the game.



Lutz started the eighth-inning charge back with a solo homer off reliever Mitch Herold, reducing the deficit to three. It was Lutz’s second homer in as many days. Herold allowed two of the next three men to reach, resulting in his departure in favor of Jason Rice. Ratliff came off the bench and stroked a 3-2 fastball to left-center for three-run jack to tie the score. It was the first pinch-hit homer of the season for Binghamton.



Manuel Alvarez, who had tossed a scoreless ninth, walked the leadoff hitter in the 10th, before Lavarnway smacked a two-run jack to left to give the Sea Dogs the winning margin, 11-9.