B-Mets Pre-Game Notes

LAST GAME: The B-Mets completed a three-game series sweep of the Portland Sea Dogs with a 7-6 win at Hadlock Field yester-day. Jean Luc Blaquiere blasted a two-run home run, his sec-ond of the season, off Kyle Fernandes in the eighth inning to break a 5-5 tie. Rhiner Cruz, working in back-to-back games, worked around a two-out single to post a scoreless ninth and earn his sixth save of the season. B-Mets starter Tobi Stoner allowed five runs on seven hits, including two home runs. He was pulled after giving up a go-ahead, three-run dinger to Jer-emy Hazelbaker in the fifth. Brad Holt took over and allowed one run over 3.1 innings to pick up his sixth win. It was Holt’s longest career relief appearance. Portland starter Brock Huntz-inger struck out a career-high 11 B-Mets while allowing five runs (four earned) over six innings of work.



STARTING PITCHING MATCHUP: RHP Matt Harvey makes his tenth start with the B-Mets and first against the SeaWolves. Harvey has won his last three starts, going exactly five innings in each. He allowed three runs on five hits and struck out six in a victory in his last start against the New Britain Rock Cats on August 16.


LHP Drew Smyly will make his fifth start with Erie and first against the B-Mets. Smyly started this year, his first pro season, with the Lakeland Flying Tigers (Hi-A). The Arkansas native went 7-3 with a 2.58 ERA in fourteen starts in the Florida State League. He won his final three starts before being promoted to Erie in late July. The lefty was selected by the Tigers in the sec-ond round of last year’s draft as the 68th overall pick out of the University of Arkansas. He allowed two runs on four hits and struck out five over five innings in a win over the Trenton Thun-der in his last start on August 16.


ROLLING RIGHT ALONG: The B-Mets won their fourth straight game yesterday and have won seven of their last eight con-tests. Binghamton has gone 12-6 in the month of August and hit .303 as a team. They lead the league in wins for the month and have the top batting average by 28 points (Erie: .275).


CATCHING UP: All three of Binghamton’s catchers hit a home run during the series against Portland. Kai Gronauer launched a three-run shot over the Green Monster at Fenway Park on Saturday. On Sunday, Dusty Ryan cleared the scoreboard with a solo bomb at Hadlock Field and Jean Luc Blaquiere broke a tie game with a two-run dinger in the eighth inning.


A DIFFERENT TEAM: Since hitting a low-water mark of 25 games under .500 on July 6 (30-55), the B-Mets have gone 26-16 and gained 7.5 games in the Eastern Division.