Rivera’s Shot Slams Sea Dogs in Game One, 8-5

BINGHAMTON, NY – The Binghamton Mets got a three-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to top the Portland Sea Dogs 8-5 and take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five Eastern Division Championship Series. Rivera finished 4-for-5 with three runs scored and four RBI. Binghamton tallied the final seven runs of the game.

With the game tied at five in the ninth and one out, Xorge Carillo reached on an error by the third baseman Mike Miller. Noe Ramirez then surrendered a single to Wilfredo Tovar. Kyle Johnson came in to pinch run for Carillo. After a strikeout, Rivera hammered the first pitch he saw over the left-field wall to win the game, 8-5.

The B-Mets were the first team to cross the plate. Carrillo worked a walk against Brian Johnson to start the second inning. Tovar then singled to move Carrillo to second base. Rivera came through with a one-out base knock to put Binghamton on top, 1-0.

Portland came right back in the fourth. After Tyler Pill had retired the first 11 batters he faced, Sean Coyle slugged a ball to left field to tie the game at one.

The Sea Dogs appeared to have blown the game open in the sixth. Rusney Castillo single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and stole third. Kuery De La Cruz then tallied a base hit to put the Sea Dogs on top. Following a single by Carson Blair, Dave Chester belted a pitch to left that put the road team ahead, 5-1.

Binghamton inched closer in the bottom of the frame. Rivera doubled with one out. A batter later, Jayce Boyd singled home the runner to cut the deficit to three, 5-2.

The score stayed that way until the eighth. Tovar tallied a two-bagger against Robby Scott to start the inning. With one out, Rivera hit a double of his own to score Tovar and bring the home team within two. Brian Burgamy then walked to end Scott’s night. Ramirez came to face Boyd, but he reached on a force attempt, error on the second baseman Sean Coyle. Rivera scored on the play and Burgamy moved to third base. A sac fly from Darrell Ceciliani plated the runner to tie the game at five.

Cody Satterwhite (1-0) worked a scoreless ninth to set up the walk-off for Binghamton. Noe Ramirez (1-1) allowed three-unearned runs in 1-1/3 frames. Pill tossed 5-2/3 innings and allowed five runs on six hits. Johnson surrendered just two runs in seven frames and struck out eight batters. Hansel Robles went 2-1/3 scoreless innings and struck out four out of the bullpen.

POSTGAME NOTES: Pill has not taken a loss since May 5^th (18 appearances)…Tovar finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored…Rivera’s home run was just the second for Binghamton since August 23^rd….It was the first win postseason win for the B-Mets at NYSEG Stadium since September 10, 2004…The team won that game in walk-off fashion, as well, 1-0 in ten innings. - team press release