B-Mets Pre-Game Notes

LAST GAME: The Altoona Curve picked up where they left off by completing an 8-6 win to start the day and held on for a 10-6 victory in the nightcap at NYSEG Stadium yesterday. Rhiner Cruz restarted the suspended game by stranding two runners in the top of the seventh inning. In the eighth, Shelby Ford’s solo home run off Cruz broke a 6-6 tie and proved to be the difference. After the Cruz tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth, the B-Mets were shut down by Noah Krol in their final turn at bat. In the regularly-scheduled game, Altoona jumped on Binghamton starter Tobi Stoner in the second in-ning. Back-to-back home runs by Eric Fryer and Miles Durham capped a three-run frame for the Curve. They extended their advantage to six with another trio of runs in the fourth. The B-Mets clawed back against starter Jeff Locke with a four-run fifth, capped by Jon Malo’s two-run double and Josh Satin’s two-run home run. Satin’s sac fly in the sixth cut the Curve lead to one. After the teams traded runs in the eighth, Altoona out-fielder Quincy Latimore put the game out of reach with a three-run home run to left field off Erik Turgeon in the top of the ninth. Michael Dubee earned his third save when he induced Satin to bounce into a game-ending double play.



STARTING PITCHING MATCHUP: RHP Brandon Moore makes his ninth start of the season and first against Altoona. The Indiana native is on a three game losing streak after dropping his last start against New Britain on May 24. While the right-hander allowed six runs, only one was earned as a fielding error by Josh Satin opened the door for a five-run inning for the Rock Cats. Moore walked a season-high three.


RHP Jared Hughes will make his tenth start of the year. The Connecticut native is in his fourth season with the Curve. Hughes allowed two runs on five hits in six innings in a no-decision against the Bowie Baysox on May 24. In his last four starts, Hughes has gone 3-0 with a 1.75 ERA. He was selected by the Pirates in the 4th round of the 2006 Draft out of Long Beach State University.


LONG BALL TREND: Josh Satin’s two-run blast off Jeff Locke in the fifth inning last night extended the B-Mets’ home run streak to six games. Binghamton has slugged 31 home runs in 2011, sixth-best in the Eastern League.


BACKMAN EJECTED: B-Mets manager Wally Backman was ejected from last night’s game by first base umpire Joe Hanni-gan for arguing a call in the seventh inning. It was Backman’s first ejection of the season. He joins Marc Valdes, Brahiam Maldonado, and Jordany Valdespin as B-Mets who have been given the heave-ho this year.