A Walk off in Altoona

The Altoona Curve scored two runs off Adrian Rosario in the bottom of theninth inning and defeated the Binghamton Mets in walk-off fashion by a 3-2score on Monday afternoon at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Rosario’s blown savesnapped a four-game winning streak and prevented the B-Mets from securing theirfirst road series sweep of the season.

Lookingfor his second save in as many days, Rosario took the mound in the ninth with aone-run lead. The righty got the first out, but the wheels started to wobblewhen he walked Matt Curry and Jarek Cunningham. Stefan Welch stepped off the benchto tie the game with a pinch-hit single and Brock Holt completed the comebackby floating a walk-off single to center.

Holt’shit produced Altoona’s only lead of three-game series. For the third straightgame, the B-Mets plated the first run. Sean Kazmar pounded a double to leftagainst starter Phil Irwin in the first inning and advanced to third on asingle by Eric Campbell. Allan Dykstra drove him home on a sac fly to center.

TheCurve threatened to tie the game in the third, but were denied by centerfielder Juan Lagares. With two outs and two aboard, Oscar Tejeda singled off B-Metsstarter Darin Gorski. Irwin tried to score from second, but was gunned down byLagares to end the inning. The outfield assist, Lagares’ league-tying 13thof the season, preserved the one-run lead.

Altoonachipped away at Gorski in the middle innings. The southpaw was forced to throw31 pitches in the fourth, with Jarek Cunningham wearing out Gorski in aneleven-pitch at-bat. The lengthy frame set the stage for Robbie Grossman in thefifth. He threaded a solo homer over the fence in left field to tie the game.

Gorskirebounded to post a perfect sixth inning to end his day. The lefty allowed justone run on four hits in the no-decision. He walked three and struck out two.

Irwin’sday also came to an end after six innings. He allowed one run on five hits inthe no-decision. Kris Harvey tossed a perfect seventh before the B-Mets brokethe tie in the eighth.

Campbellstarted the rally with a single and Harvey loaded the bases with two straightwalks. Dustin Martin made him pay by dumping an RBI single into left to giveBinghamton a 2-1 lead. Binghamton failed to tack on to the lead, stranding thebases loaded. The B-Mets left 10 men on base in the game.

BradHolt took over for Gorski in the seventh and tossed two scoreless innings. Hestood to be the winner until Rosario’s stumble in the ninth. Logan Kensing(1-0) threw a shutout ninth inning and earned the win. Rosario (1-2) sufferedhis second blown save.

TheB-Mets (41-47) ride into the All-Star Break in fourth in the Eastern Division.They return from the two-day break to start a five-game series against the ErieSeaWolves at NYSEG Stadium on Thursday night at 6:35 PM. The Horizons FederalCredit Union pre-game show begins at 6:20 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF.