Akron 4, Binghamton 0

BINGHAMTON,NY – The Binghamton Mets could only muster three hits, all singles, against four Akron Aeros pitchers in a 4-0 loss in their season opener at NYSEG Stadium tonight.

TheB-Mets only pushed one runner to second base and failed to reach third duringthe game. The Binghamton lineup was held hitless over the final four innings ofthe contest. Binghamton bounced into two double plays and had a pair of runnersgunned down on steal attempts by Akron catcher Roberto Perez.

Collin McHugh, last year’s B-Mets Pitcher of the Year, made the start and tossed twoscoreless innings before running into trouble in the third. Leadoff hitter BenCopeland walked on four pitches and scored two batters later on Tim Fedroff’sdouble to right-center field. After a Juan Diaz single, Jared Goedert ripped anRBI single to left to give the Aeros a 2-0 lead.

Akronstarter Paolo Espino fired two scoreless innings before running into trouble ofhis own in the third. After allowing a leadoff single to Juan Centeno andworking the count to 1-1 against Sean Kazmar, the Panamanian left the game with an injury.

Hewas replaced by Kyle Landis who induced Kazmar to bounce into a double play onhis first pitch and struck out Pedro Zapata to end the inning. Landis’ framestarted the bullpen dominance by the Aeros.

Landistossed a scoreless fourth and handed off to Jose De La Torre. A former B-Met, De La Torre worked around a two-out single to put up a scoreless fifth.

McHugh’snight ended after five innings. The right-hander allowed two runs on four hitsand struck out four while walking three.

Kevin Mulvey entered in the sixth and allowed a leadoff double to Ryan Rohlinger.With two runners aboard following a Chun Chen walk, Nick Weglarz bounced apotential double-play ball to second baseman Josh Rodriguez. The new B-Metflipped to second, but shortstop Sean Kazmar muffed the throw, allowingRohlinger to score.

Owninga 3-0 lead, De La Torre cruised through the sixth and worked around a one-outwalk to toss a scoreless seventh. Matt Langwell took over in the eighth andstruck out the side in order.

TheAeros tacked on an insurance run against Armando Rodriguez in the top of the ninthon a sacrifice fly by Juan Diaz.

The B-Mets went in order in the ninth against Langwell who secured his first saveof the season. De La Torre earned the win, while McHugh was saddled with theloss. The Aeros bullpen combined for seven shutout innings of relief.