B-Mets Split Pair with New Britian

The Binghamton Mets overcame a five-run deficit to beat the New BritainRock Cats by a 9-8 score in the opener of a doubleheader, but were shut down inan 8-1 loss in the nightcap at NYSEG Stadium on Tuesday night. It was theB-Mets third doubleheader split of the season and second in four days.

Trailingby two in the seventh in game one, the B-Mets started their late rally with twowalks. A single by Dustin Martin against Jose Gonzalez brought homepinch-runner Pedro Zapata and cut the deficit to one. Reliever Dakota Wattsentered and induced Wilfredo Tovar to ground to short, but a botched fielder’schoice allowed everyone to reach safely.

Withthe bases loaded and one out, Juan Centeno sent a chopper to second. NateHanson flipped to James Beresford for one, but his relay to first was late.Raul Reyes scored easily from third to tie the game and Martin, running full-tiltfrom contact, scored from second to give Binghamton their fourth walk-off winof the year.

TheB-Mets had fallen into an early deficit after the Rock Cats put up a five-runsecond inning against starter Cory Mazzoni. New Britain racked up four hits inthe inning, highlighted by Nate Hanson’s three-run homer into the left fieldrail yard.

Binghamtonstarted their comeback in the third on a two-run homer by Reese Havens offstarter Steve Hirschfeld. The B-Mets added two more in the fifth on an RBIgroundout by Centeno and a two-out RBI single by Wilmer Flores.

Afterthe Rock Cats plated another run in the sixth, the B-Mets struck back and tiedthe game with a pair of scores against reliever Bruce Pugh. Centeno deliveredanother run-scoring groundout and Juan Lagares knotted the game at six with anRBI single up the middle.

Mazzonisurvived six innings. The righty allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hitsand took a no-decision. Adam Kolarek took over in the seventh and failed topreserve the tie. Aaron Hicks broke the draw with a leadoff homer and ChrisColabello tacked on with an RBI single.

Kolarek(2-0) was taken off the hook and earned his second win of the season thanks toBinghamton’s three-run seventh. Gonzalez (1-1) suffered his first loss. Pughand Watts were both saddled with blown saves.

TheB-Mets failed to carry the magic into the nightcap. They were held to two hitsand sent just one over the minimum to the plate. Francisco Pena provided theonly offense with a solo homer in the sixth inning. Binghamton did not strandany runners on base and had no at-bats with runners in scoring position.

AndrewAlbers (4-2) baffled the B-Mets through five innings. The lefty faced theminimum, allowing just one hit. He struck out five and did not issue any walks.Matt Hauser closed the tab by allowing one run over two innings.

TheRock Cats tagged B-Mets starter Gonzalez Germen for six runs on six hits overfive innings. Oswaldo Arcia delivered the game-sealing blow with a grand slamin New Britain’s five-run fifth inning. Adrian Rosario allowed two runs on twohits and a walk in the sixth. Brandon Moore tossed a perfect seventh in hisfirst appearance since mid-June.

TheB-Mets (55-61) continue their series against the Rock Cats Wednesday night at6:35 PM. LHP Darin Gorski gets the nod for Binghamton against LHP AaronThompson. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pre-game show begins at 6:20 PM on Newsradio1290 WNBF.