ERIE, PA – The Binghamton Mets left nine men on base, including the potential game-tying run at second in the ninth, in a 3-2 loss to the Erie SeaWolves Saturday afternoon at Jerry Uht Park. The B-Mets turned four hits and seven walks into just two runs in the defeat.
B-Mets starter Collin McHugh battled low temperatures and command issues in the first two innings, walking four and reaching a full-count against five batters. In spite of the difficulties, he managed to escape unharmed with two shutout innings.
After working quick innings in the third and fourth, McHugh ran into a roadblock in the fifth. The righty allowed his first hit with one out, an infield single to short by Niuman Romero. After Brandon Douglas snuck a bunt single to third, both runners moved up an additional base when Jefry Marte uncorked a wild throw to first.
Rob Brantly gave Erie the lead by lacing a two-run, opposite-field double high off the left field fence. The hit ended McHugh’s day after 4.1 innings. He walked a season-high four and struck out four. Kevin Mulvey entered and surrendered an RBI single to Ben Guez, giving the SeaWolves a three-run edge.
Binghamton finally plated a run without the benefit of a hit in the seventh. After cruising through six frames, Avery pitched himself out of the game by walking Travis Ozga and Rafael Fernandez. Reliever Michael Morrison replaced him, walked Kai Gronauer and uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Ozga to score Binghamton’s first run. Pedro Zapata flied out to left to end the inning.
The walks continued for Erie pitching in the eighth. Morrison was pulled from the mound after putting the first three on base, all via base on balls. Jefry Marte greeted new reliever Kenny Faulk with a bloop single to right, scoring Den Dekker. The single by Marte was Binghamton’s first hit with a runner in scoring position in over 29 innings. Faulk retired the next three he faced to preserve the one-run lead.
Binghamton pushed the tying run to second in the ninth against Faulk, but failed to come through with the big hit. Zapata reached on an infield single and swiped second base with two outs. He was stranded to end the game when Oswaldo Navarro struck out against Faulk.
Faulk’s six-out save was his first of the season. Avery (3-1) picked up his third win and McHugh (3-2) watched his three-game winning streak come to an end with the loss.
The B-Mets (11-10) wrap up their series with the SeaWolves in a rubber match tomorrow afternoon at 1:35 PM. RHP Zack Wheeler leads the B-Mets against RHP Mark Sorensen. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pre-game show begins at 1:20 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF.
Press release provided by the Binghamton Mets
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