Trenton 4, B-Mets 3

Mike Antonini tied a season-best with seven, strong innings and left with a 3-2 lead, but the bullpen could not hold it as Trenton salvaged the finale of the series 4-3 at NYSEG Stadium Sunday afternoon. Antonini permitted a pair of runs on four hits and struck out six in the no-decision. Binghamton (34-35) jumped out to an early lead against Trenton ace right-hander David Phelps in the first inning. Luis Hernandez led off with a clean single to center, stole second and moved to third on a deep flyout to left. With one out, Nick Evans broke his bat on a slow roller to third, allowing Hernandez to tally, pitting the B-Mets a 1-0 advantage. Trenton (41-26) tied the game instantaneously. Brandon Laird led off the second and ripped an Antonini offering over the wall in dead center for his Eastern League-leading 16th homer. Sean Ratliff exacted revenge in the third with his first Double-A jack, a solo blast off the right-field videoboard to put Binghamton back in front 2-1. It was just the second homer allowed by Phelps this season. The lead was extended to two when Mike Nickeas dropped a bloop single in front of rightfielder Edwar Gonzalez with two outs in the fourth, plating Eric Campbell.  The Thunder responded in the next half inning with a brief hitting outburst. Marcos Vechionacci led off the fifth with a single to right. Gonzalez joined him on base with a similar blooper. With runners at the corners, Luis Nunez lofted a routine flyball into shallow right, but second baseman Josh Satin and rightfielder D.J. Wabick failed to communicate, allowing the ball to drop and Vechionacci to score, moving the Thunder within a run, 3-2. Derrick Ellison replaced Antonini to start the eighth and proceeded to walk the leadoff hitter Justin Snyder. Two batters later, Ellison hung a curveball to Austin Krum, which the designated hitter deposited over the right-field wall to vault Trenton into the lead, 4-3.