Binghamton Mets 2013 Game Notes

Binghamton Mets (50-29) vs. Altoona Curve (36-46) (Double-A Affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates)

RHP Erik Goeddel (7-2, 3.72) vs. RHP Nick Kingham (1-1, 3.50)

Monday, July 1, 2013 • Game #82 • Home Game #42

NYSEG Stadium • Binghamton, NY • 6:35 PM

LAST GAME: The B-Mets defeated the Trenton Thunder, 5-4 in the series finale Sunday afternoon at NYSEG Stadium. Trenton’s Ramon Floresled the game off with a home run against Noah Syndergaard, but the B-Met offense responded immediately. They took a 4-1 lead in the third highlighted by home runs by Cesar Puello and Richard Lucas. Syndergaard left the game after five innings. The righty struck out nine in a no-decision. In the sixth, Francisco Arcia tied the game with a three-run home run, but Puello gave the B-Mets the lead with an RBI single in the sixth. Jim Fullergave up the home run to tie it, but picked up the win on the mound. Jeff Walters earned his 20th save of the season.

BINGHAMTON STARTER: RHP Erik Goeddel makes his 15th start of the season for the B-Mets, and his second against Altoona. On May 28th, he got a no-decision after tossing six innings of three-run baseball. In June, Goeddel went 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA in four starts. He has won each of his last six decisions, and Binghamton is 11-3 in his starts this season. In his last start, he threw seven shutout innings in a 3-0 victory over the Portland Sea Dogs.

ALTOONA STARTER: RHP Nick Kingham makes his third start of the season for the Curve. He began the season with Bradenton (High-A), and went 6-3 with a 3.09 ERA in 13 starts. He was promoted in mid-June to Altoona. In his debut vs. Trenton on June 15, he threw 5.2 shutout innings in a win. His last outing was a relief appearance on June 25 vs New Britain. He threw 6.0 innings and gave up two runs and two hits. Kingham was drafted in the fourth round of the 2010 draft by the Pirates out of Sierra Vista HS (NV).

HISTORICAL JUNE: Binghamton finished up the month of June with a 19-5 record. Five losses matches the fewest for one month in franchise history (twice before). On June 1, the B-Mets were tied with the Portland Sea Dogs and Trenton Thunder for first place in the Eastern Division. The B-Mets now have a 9.0 game lead in the division, which matches the biggest lead they have had in 2013. Cesar Puello led the league in batting average (.441), home runs (8), and RBI (24).

21 OVER .500: Binghamton currently has the best record in the Eastern League. They are 50-29, and are 21 games over .500 since August 13, 2004 (70-49). If Binghamton wins on Monday, they will be 22 games over .500 for the first time since 8/11/04.

50 WINS: Sunday’s win was the 50th win for the B-Mets this season. This is the fewest games it has ever taken Binghamton to reach 50 wins in franchise history (79 games). 2013 is also the first season in franchise history where the B-Mets have won 50 games before July 1.

ANOTHER SERIES WIN: Sunday’s victory sealed the 10th straight series win for the B-Mets. The stretch began May 24-27 vs. Portland when Binghamton won three out of four games. Binghamton has either won or split each of the past 14 series. The B-Mets have not lost a series since May 6-8.

ONE-RUN GAMES: Sunday was the second consecutive win by one run. In one-run games this season, Binghamton is 15-7. That is the best winning percentage of any team in the league.

20TH SAVE FOR WALTERS: B-Met closer Jeff Walters recorded his 20th save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning on Sunday. Walters is 20-for-22 in save chances this season, and leads the league in that category. His last save tied him for fifth in B-Met history for saves in a season. He is the first B-Met to record at least 20 saves in a season since Eddie Kunz earned 27 saves in 2008. The franchise record for saves in a season is 28 byJerad Riggan in 2000.

NEXT GAME PREVIEW: The B-Mets continue their three-game series against the Altoona Curve on Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM as LHP Darin Gorski takes the bump for Binghamton against RHP Jameson Taillion.