Press Release on B-Met 'No-Hit" Loss

For Immediate Release
Date: June 4, 2009 Contact: Matt McCabe, mmccabe@bmets.com

Brown No-Hits Sea Dogs Through Seven Innings, But B-Mets Fall 3-2

In just his third start of the year, Eric Brown was nearly perfect giving up just three walks in seven no-hit innings. Unfortunately, Brown’s outing went for naught as Julio De La Cruz took the loss for the second straight game allowing two runs in the eighth inning to give Portland their third straight win over the B-Mets 3-2 at Hadlock Field Thursday afternoon.

Brown gave up a run in the first inning when Bubba Bell walked to lead off the bottom of the first. Upon stealing second, Bell advanced to third on the throw down from catcher Salvador Paniagua, which went into centerfield. Then with one out, Aaron Bates drove a deep fly to center that scored Bell from third and made it 1-0 Sea Dogs.

Portland (27-26) starter Adam Mills dueled Brown retiring 15 in a row at one point until Ruben Tejada singled with one out in the sixth inning. After Tejada was picked off, Emmanuel Garcia homered to right to tie the score at one.

Brown exited after the seventh inning with a no-decision pending the top of the eighth. However, his teammates gave him a chance to win with a run in the frame. After Richie Lentz struck out his fourth straight hitter, Paniagua, to start the inning, Jose Coronado singled to center and Tejada walked. T.J. Large was summoned from the bullpen next and proceeded to strike out Garcia. But Nick Evans had other intentions for his starting pitcher, Evans singled to right to drive in Coronado to give Binghamton (22-27) their only lead of the game at 2-1.

De La Cruz came on in the eighth and walked two of the first three hitters he faced. It was then that Mark Wagner broke up the no-hitter with a double off the Maine Monster in left to score Reid Engel and Bubba Bell and propel the Sea Dogs to victory 3-2.

Large picked up his second win with 1.2 innings of scoreless relief and De La Cruz fell to 0-3 with his second straight loss, allowing two runs in an inning of work.