Binghamton 8 - Altoona 5

B-Mets Take Division Lead with 8-5 Win

BINGHAMTON, NY – The Binghamton Mets used a four-run seventh inning to break a 4-4 tie, as they topped the Altoona Curve, 8-5 Tuesday night at NYSEG Stadium.

The win is the fourth-straight victory for the B-Mets, as they moved into sole possession of first place in the Eastern Division.

With two-on and one out in the seventh, Josh Rodriguez gave Binghamton a 5-4 lead with an RBI single into right-centerfield. Cesar Puello walked to load the bases, and Allan Dykstra then hit a run-scoring single to right field. Altoona reliever Luis Sanz struggled to find the strike zone, and walked Cory Vaughn to force another run across. The final run of the frame came home on a Darrell Ceciliani sacrifice fly.

Erik Goeddel started on the mound for Binghamton, but fell behind early. After walking Adalberto Santos to start the game, Andrew Lambo singled him in with two outs in the first to give the Curve a 1-0 lead.

Santos hit a two-run single to left field in the second to put Binghamton in a 3-0 hole. The righty was locked in for the rest of his outing however; he retired the final 10 hitters he faced and allowed three hits in the start.

The offense came back from the early deficit as well. Blake Forsythe hit a solo home run in the second inning to put Binghamton on the board. Puello and Dykstra led off the fourth inning with back-to-back doubles to cut the Altoona lead to 3-2.

Binghamton took their first lead of the game in the bottom half of the sixth inning. With two-on and two-outs Darrell Ceciliani knocked a two-run double down the left field line to give the B-Mets a 4-3 lead.

Shawn Teufel relieved Goeddel in the top of the seventh inning, and struggled to find the strike zone. The lefty walked the only three batters he faced, before turning things over to Adam Kolarek. Mel Rojas Jr. hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game 4-4 against Kolarek, but he retired the next two batters to escape the big inning.

After Binghamton broke the tie with four runs in the seventh, Kolarek returned for the eighth inning. He gave up a leadoff triple, followed by an RBI single to cut the lead to 8-5. When he walked Charlie Cutler to put runners at first and second base with one out, Jack Leathersich was brought into the game for a five-out save opportunity.

Leathersich rose to the occasion; he struck out five of the six batters he faced for his third save of the season. Kolarek got the win relief, and Sanz was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs in the seventh.

The B-Mets (30-22) will look to win their fifth consecutive game on Wednesday night against the Curve (20-31). LHP Mark Cohoon takes the hill for Binghamton against RHP Jameson Taillon. First pitch is at 6:35 PM with the Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show starting at 6:20 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF.

POSTGAME NOTES: Binghamton has reached 30 wins before June 1 for the first time since 2004…Josh Rodriguez went 1-for-4, stretching his season-long hitting streak to 14 games…Binghamton is now 4-1 during this homestand, and are 9-5 at home in the month of May