5/17/14

Binghamton 8 - New Hampshire 6



The Binghamton Mets bounced back after blowing a four-run lead to defeat the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, 8-6, in comeback fashion on Friday night at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium. Brian Burgamy’s go-ahead, three-run double highlighted Binghamton’s pivotal four-run eighth inning.
Trailing by two in the eighth, the B-Mets compiled their comeback against the Fisher Cats bullpen. Richard Bleier, in his second inning of relief, opened the door by walking Jayce Boyd with one out. Wilfredo Tovar and Kyle Johnson greeted new reliever Dustin Antolin with consecutive singles, loading the bases.

Brian Burgamy lifted a 2-0 pitch into the left-field corner. Jon Berti, playing just his fourth career game in the outfield, reached up on the run, but had the drive kick off his glove and rattle off the fence. Three runs scored on Burgamy’s double, giving the B-Mets the lead. Kevin Plawecki tacked on an insurance run with an RBI single to left, his third hit of the game.
For the second straight night, the B-Mets cracked the scoreboard in the first inning. Johnson led off the contest by dumping Scott Copeland’s second pitch into center for a single. He took second on a fly out, grabbed third on an error and crossed home on Matt Clark’s RBI groundout.
Binghamton added to their lead with a three-run third. Following a pair of one-out walks, Clark laced a single up the middle, plating Burgamy. Plawecki doubled Binghamton’s lead to four by smacking a two-run single into center.

B-Mets starter Matt Bowman struggled to preserve the B-Mets’ four-run lead. Clark booted Peter Mooney’s ground ball at first to start the frame. Jon Berti took his place on a fielder’s choice and came home with New Hampshire’s first run when Kenny Wilson ripped a triple off the left-center field wall.

Bowman followed the three-bagger by pitching himself into a corner. He hit AJ Jimenez, uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Wilson to scamper home, and loaded the bases on back-to-back two-out walks. Andy Fermin cashed in on Bowman’s wildness by lining the first pitch he saw over the right-field wall for his first career grand slam. Fermin’s second homer of the season gave the Fisher Cats a 6-4 lead.

Both pitchers settled down after their bumpy third innings. Copeland capped his night with three scoreless innings, stranding three runners along the way. Bowman retired ten of the final eleven batters he faced after Fermin’s homer and exited after six innings of work.

After tossing a perfect seventh and following Binghamton’s four-run eighth, Jon Velasquez returned for the eighth and teamed up with Adam Kolarek to post a scoreless inning. Chasen Bradford worked around a two-out single in a shutout ninth, earning his eighth save of the season.

Velasquez (2-2) struck out one over 1-2/3 scoreless innings to earn the victory. Antolin (0-2) was tagged for three runs on five hits while recording one out in his second blown save of the season. Bowman struck out a career-high twelve Fisher Cats in the no-decision.

The B-Mets (21-16) continue their three-game series against the Fisher Cats on Saturday night at 5:35 PM. RHP Rainy Lara gets the ball against LHP Matt Boyd. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show begins at 5:20 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF.

POSTGAME NOTES: Matt Bowman’s 12 strikeouts are the most by a B-Mets pitcher in one game since at least 2007...Kevin Plawecki reached base safely in all five plate appearances on three hits and two hit-by-pitches…Kyle Johnson has hit safely in nine straight games - team press release

No comments: