Binghamton 5 - Erie 2

The Binghamton Mets rallied late, scoring four eighth inning runs en route to a 5-2 win over the Erie SeaWolves Tuesday night at NYSEG Stadium. Dustin Lawley tied the game with his second home run of the season before Gilbert Gomez put the B-Mets on top for good with a two-out RBI single to centerfield. The B-Mets scored all four runs in a single inning for the second straight game.

The first seven innings Tuesday were dominated by starting pitching, before Binghamton jumped on a tired Derek Hankins. Trailing 2-1 in the eighth, Lawley launched a home run well over the left field wall to tie the game at two. With two outs in the inning, Jairo Perez and Eudy Pina stroked back-to-back singles to set the stage for Gomez. After striking out in his first three at-bats, Gomez got the best of Hankins, singling in the winning run with a base hit to center. Jayce Boyd added insurance with a two RBI single to rightfield two batters later.

Matt Koch turned in his best outing of the young season, keeping the SeaWolves off the board until the sixth inning. With two outs, Harold Castro singled to right field and came around to score on a Josh Prince double to left one batter later.

Erie didn’t score again until the eighth inning against reliever Paul Sewald. Wynton Bernard singled to right to start the inning. He then moved to second on a Sewald error, stole third base, and came around to score on a Castro sacrifice fly to left field.

Dario Alvarez recorded the first two outs of the ninth inning before giving way to Jon Velasquez with a runner on first. Velasquez needed just one pitch for the save, getting Jeff McVaney to line out to third base.

Josh Rodriguez homered to left field in the second to get the B-Mets on the board first. It was his second home run of the season, both coming at home.

Sewald (1-0) earned his first win of the year in relief. Hankins (1-2) took the loss, allowing five runs in 7.2 innings pitched. Koch surrenderd just one run and five hits in the start for Binghamton, earning a no-decision. He struck out six batters in seven innings pitched.

The B-Mets (8-5) close out their series with the Erie SeaWolves Wednesday night, with a 6:35 first pitch at NYSEG Stadium. Binghamton RHP Rainy Lara (2-0, 2.31) gets the ball against RHP Chad Green (0-1, 5.63). 

POSTGAME NOTES: Jon Velasquez earned saves on back-to-back nights for the first time in his career…Velasquez also became the first B-Met to pitch in back-to-back games this season…Dustin Lawley was hitless in his previous 17 at-bats before singling and homering Tuesday. The home run tied the game in the eighth. - team press release