Binghamton Mets (76-50) vs.
Reading Fightin Phils (55-72)
(Double-A Affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies)
LHP Steven Matz (5-3, 2.48) vs. LHP Hoby Milner (7-6, 4.56)
Sunday, August 17, 2014 • Games #127 • Road Game #64
FirstEnergy Stadium • Reading, PA • 5:05 PM
LAST GAME: The Binghamton Mets used strong pitching to sweep a doubleheader over the Reading Fightin Phils, on Saturday. The B-Mets took game one 2-1 and game two 7-3. Daisuke Matsuzaka made a rehab start in game one and allowed just one run in six innings. Jon Velasquez pitched a scoreless 7thinning to pick up his first save of the year. Binghamton scored both of its runs in the fourth inning. In the nightcap, Wilfredo Tovar smashed a three-run home run to help the B-Mets overcome a three-run deficit. Tyler Pill was tagged for three scores in the first, but shutdown the Fightin Phils over the next four frames. Adam Kolarek and Randy Fontanez gave up just one base runner over the final two innings. Fontanez earned his second save of the season. It was the fourth doubleheader sweep of the year and Binghamton is now 5-0 against Reading in 2014.
BINGHAMTON STARTER: LHP Steven Matz makes his tenth start of the season and his first against Reading. The southpaw hasn’t allowed an earned run in each of his last two outings. That includes last Sunday, August 10 at Harrisburg. Matz threw seven shutout innings and struck out five as Binghamton won the game 3-0. It was the fourth time this season that the 23-year-old has not allowed an earned run in a contest. The Stony Brook, New York native was taken in the second round of the 2009 draft out of Ward Melville Senior High School in East Setauket, New York.
READING STARTER: LHP Hoby Milner takes the hill for the 23rd time this season and the first against Binghamton. The southpaw took the loss in his most recent performance. He tossed six innings and gave up six runs (five earned) on eight hits in a 13-2 Reading loss to Altoona on Sunday, August 10. It was just the fourth time this season that Milner has allowed at least five runs. In 122.1 innings in 2014, Milner’s allowed 131 hits. The 23-year-old was taken in the seventh round of the 2012 draft out of the University of Texas.
FIGHTIN THE PHILS: With Saturday’s doubleheader sweep, the B-Mets improved to 5-0 against Reading this season. They have outscored the Fightin Phils, 31-19 in 2014. They have scored seven or more three times and held Reading to three runs or less in three matchups. Sunday is the last meeting of the season between the teams.
NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN?: A Binghamton win on Sunday, coupled with a Portland loss would put the former in alone in first place for the first time since April 11. The team was as much as 8.5 games out on June 10. The B-Mets have gone 44-20 in their last 64 games. At 26 games above .500, they are at their high-water mark on the season. Binghamton’s magic number to clinch a playoff sport is at four.
ROAD WARRIORS: Binghamton has won eight of their last nine road games. That’s good for a season mark of 36-27. They can move back to .500 on the road against teams in the Eastern Division with a win on Sunday.
THE GRAND FINALE: Binghamton is 25-11 in series finales this season. That includes winning eight of their last 12 chances. A win on Sunday would be the teams seventh series sweep of the season.
CONTROLLING THE LEADERBOARD: The B-Mets continue to dominate both sides of the leaderboard. The team is first in runs, home runs, OPS, on-base percentage, walks, and slugging percentage. They also rank second in batting average at 276, just one point behind Bowie for the top spot. The pitching staff is tied for the second lowest whip. They have the third worst strikeouts and has walked the second fewest batters this season.
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