Binghamton 7, Akron 4

The Binghamton Mets ended a stretch of seven consecutive losing series with a 7-4 win over Akron Saturday night at Canal Park. The victory gave the B-Mets their first series win since taking two out of three from the Erie SeaWolves May 2-5. Jon Malo led the way with a career-best, 4-for-6 performance.



Akron (26-31) broke a scoreless deadlock in the second when Beau Mills led off the inning with a solo homer off Brad Holt’s first-pitch fastball.



Binghamton (18-35) responded in a big way in the third inning. The first seven men to face Austin Adams reached. The inning started out ominously with a walk to the No. 9 hitter Jose Coronado. Malo moved the runner to third with a double into the right-field corner. Reese Havens followed and drew the B-Mets even with an RBI single to center. Bubba Bell made it three straight hits with an RBI knock to right, which handed the B-Mets the lead for good.



Adams then walked Brahiam Maldonado to load the bases anew. Allan Dykstra capitalized with a hard-hit, RBI single to center, which chased home Havens. Adams gave up another run when he issued a bases-loaded walk to Eric Campbell. The Aeros starter finally got an out by striking out Raul Reyes, but it would be the only bright spot for him. He hit the next man, Jean Luc Blaquiere, to force in Binghamton’s fifth run and end his night. Eric Berger was summoned from the bullpen and induced a double play from Coronado to end the bleeding.



Adams was saddled with the loss after working 2 1/3 innings. He allowed five runs on five hits and walked four. He had won his previous two starts against the B-Mets.



The Aeros appeared poised to comeback in the bottom of the third when they loaded the bases with no one out against Holt, but the Binghamton starter emerged unscathed after striking out consecutive hitters and getting Mills to fly out to left.


Dykstra added to the B-Mets lead in the fourth inning with his second RBI single of the night.



Holt’s high pitch count knocked him from the game before he could qualify for the win. The right-hander worked four-plus innings and allowed a run on six hits for a no-decision.



Roy Merritt followed the starter and enjoyed his best outing of the season. The southpaw retired all six batters he faced and picked up the win.



Akron made a game of it late with three runs off the bullpen, but it was too little too late.



Both teams rapped 13 hits in Binghamton’s longest game of the year, which lasted 3 hours, 34 minutes.