Binghamton Mets 2014 Game Notes

Binghamton Mets (8-4) vs.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (4-8)

(Double-A Affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays)

LHP Darin Gorski (1-0 0.93) vs. RHP Aaron Sanchez (1-1, 3.29)

Friday, April 18, 2014 • Game #13 • Home Game #8

NYSEG Stadium • Binghamton, NY • 7:05 PM

LAST GAME: Matt Bowman matched a career-high with 11 strikeouts over seven shutout innings to lead the Binghamton Mets past the New Hampshire Fisher Cats by a 4-1 score on Thursday night at NYSEG Stadium. The righty allowed just four singles and retired 15 straight at one point to earn his second win in as many starts. The B-Mets scratched and clawed to provide offensive support. Darrell Ceciliani scored in the first on a groundout to put Binghamton on the board. In the second, Matt Reynoldswent from first to third on a passed ball and raced home on catcher Yusuf Carter’s errant throw to third base. Travis Taijeron scored later in the inning on a wild pitch. It was plenty of support for Bowman who sat down 15 in a row after allowing a one-out single in the second. During his four consecutive perfect innings he threw just 36 pitches. John Church posted a perfect eighth and Chasen Bradford was touched for a one run on a pair of two-out doubles before closing the door in the ninth.

BINGHAMTON STARTER: RHP Darin Gorski makes his third start of the season and second straight against the Fisher Cats. The southpaw struck out a Double-A career-high 10 batters over six innings to earn his first win of the season against New Hampshire last Thursday at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium. He allowed one unearned run and surrendered just four hits. Selected in the 7th round of the 2009 draft by the Mets out of Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, he is in his third season as a B-Met.

NEW HAMPSHIRE STARTER: RHP Aaron Sanchez makes his fourth start of 2014 and second straight against the B-Mets. The righty comes off one of the shakiest performances of his career. In 3.2 innings versus the B-Mets last Sunday, he walked four, hit three batters, and was tagged for three runs on four hits in his first career Double-A loss. Selected as the 34th overall pick in the 2010 draft out of Barstow HS (CA), Sanchez is in his first year at Double-A. He spent all of the 2013 season with Dunedin (High-A) going 4-5 with 3.34 ERA.

OFFENSE WON’T STOP: Thursday’s 11-hit performance by the B-Mets marked their ninth consecutive game attaining eight hits or more. They have hit .290 (88-for-303) during that span with 22 doubles, one triple and nine home runs. Thursday was the fifth time in 12 games in which the B-Mets have reached double-figures in hits.

STREAKING RIGHT ALONG: Darrell Ceciliani extended his season-opening hitting streak to eight games with a 3-for-5 performance on Thursday. It was his fifth multiple-hit game this season and  first three-hit contest. Wilfredo Tovar followed in his footsteps, singling in the eighth inning, his final at-bat, to stretch his current hitting streak to eight games. Tovar is hitting .270 (10-for-37) during the stretch.

AND THE WHIFF: Matt Bowman’s 11 strikeouts on Thursday night were the most by a B-Met starter since  Logan Verrett fanned 11 Erie SeaWolves in a losing effort on June 21, 2013. Bowman had previously struck out 11 Dunedin Blue Jays as a member of the St. Lucie Mets on May 20, 2013.

RACKING UP THE K’S: In five meetings with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats the B-Mets pitching staff has collected 51 strikeouts over 44.0 innings (10.43 K/9 IP). Two different starters have reached double-figures in strikeouts. The B-Mets staff has a 2.05 ERA against New Hampshire this season. Binghamton leads the league with 9.88 K/9 IP ratio.

SCORE FIRST, GO HOME HAPPY: For the eighth time this season, the B-Mets were the first team on the board on Thursday night. They have gone 7-1 when cracking the scoreboard first. It was fourth time this season they’ve plated a run in the first inning.