Binghamton Mets 2014 Game Notes

Binghamton Mets (11-8) at

Erie SeaWolves (9-11)

(Double-A Affiliate of the Detroit Tigers)

RHP Rainy Lara (2-0, 1.47) vs. RHP Warwick Saupold (1-2, 6.62)

Sunday, April 27, 2014 • Game #20 • Road Game #8

Jerry Uht Park • Erie, PA • 1:35 PM

LAST GAMES: The B-Mets split a doubleheader with the Erie SeaWolves on Saturday afternoon at Jerry Uht Park. Binghamton pounded out a dozen hits in the opener, including a pair of three-run homers, en route to an 8-1 victory. The B-Mets blew a two-run lead in the final inning in the nightcap and surrendered three runs, falling 6-5 in a walk-off loss. Kyle Johnson and Matt Clark both blasted homers in the lid-lifter in support of Matt Bowman. The righty allowed one run over 5.1 innings to earn his third win in as many starts. In the nightcap, Chasen Bradford walked two and allowed two hits, while shortstop Wilfredo Tovar made a costly throwing error in Erie’s three-run seventh inning. Francisco Martinez delivered the game-winning hit, a single through the hole on the right side.

BINGHAMTON STARTER: RHP Rainy Lara makes his fourth start of the season and first against the SeaWolves. The 23-year-old took a no-decision in his most recent start against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on April 19 at NYSEG Stadium. He allowed just one unearned run on two hits and three walks over six innings, but the B-Mets did not break a 2-2 game until the eighth inning. He split last season between Savannah (Low-A) and St. Lucie (High-A) going 8-7 with a 2.85 ERA between both levels.

ERIE STARTER: RHP Warwick Saupold takes the mound for the fifth time this season. He has gone winless in his last three starts most recently taking a loss to the Bowie Baysox on April 22. The righty allowed nine runs on eleven hits while surviving just three innings. Signed as a Minor League free agent out of Australia, Saupold is in his third season in the Tigers’ organization. He spent all of 2013 with the Erie SeaWolves, going 7-6 with a 3.28 ERA in 22 starts.

SPLITTING THE DOUBLE DIP: For the second time this season, the B-Mets split a doubleheader by winning the opener and losing the nightcap. Due to the multitude of rainouts in the first three weeks of the season, the B-Mets have four more doubleheaders on their schedule.

REYNOLDS STILL ROLLING: B-Mets middle infielder Matt Reynolds extended his hitting streak to twelve games with a single in each game of the doubleheader on Saturday. He has hit .455 (20-for-44) during the stretch and collected four multiple-hit games. It is the second-longest active streak in the league. He has raised his batting average to .359 to open the season, the eighth-highest average in the Eastern League.

SETTING UP FOR THE RUBBER MATCH: The B-Mets are 1-0 in rubber matches this season. They defeated the Fisher Cats last Saturday at home by a 3-2 score.

ALL GOOD THINGS MUST END: Matt Clark’s 12-game hitting streak came to an end with an 0-for-2 performance in the nightcap. During the streak Clark hit .408 (20-for-49) with four doubles, six home runs, 10 runs scored and 15 RBI.

RACKING ‘EM UP: With a three-run homer and sac fly in Saturday’s doubleheader, Matt Clark tacked on four more RBI to his team-leading total of 17. He sits tied for third in the league in runs driven in.

FIVE-OUT SAVE: B-Mets reliever Adam Kolarek notched the final five outs of the opener on Saturday to earn his first save of the season. It was the lefty’s first save since he posted two scoreless innings against the Trenton Thunder on June 28, 2013. Kolarek racked up a career-high 18 saves with the St. Lucie Mets (High-A) in 2012.

SERIES FINALES: Excluding their one-game series against the Portland Sea Dogs last week, the B-Mets have gone 5-0 in series finales this season.