Akron Comeback Too Much for Binghamton, 6-5

AKRON, OH – The Binghamton Mets could not preserve a three-run lead and fell to the Akron Aeros 6-5 in 10 innings Tuesday night at Canal Park. Chun Chen came off the bench for the Aeros and supplied three hits, including a walk-off single in the tenth.

After Binghamton jumped out to a 5-2 lead with a three-run seventh, Akron began chipping away at the deficit. The Aeros put up two in the bottom of the inning against Kevin Mulvey and handed Elvin Ramirez his first blown save with a run in the ninth. Chen ripped the game-winning hit to right against Jeff Kaplan to give the Aeros their league-leading ninth one-run win of the season.

For the second night in a row, the B-Mets got on the board first. In his Double-A debut, Akron starter T.J. House hit his first batter. After the hit batsman, a single and a fielder’s choice, Jefry Marte singled to left to give Binghamton the lead in the first. Rylan Sandoval doubled in the second and scored on a single from Matt den Dekker.

After two bumpy innings, House settled in to shutdown the B-Mets for four consecutive innings. The lefty retired 12 straight B-Mets before walking Eric Campbell to start the seventh.

Akron tied the game with two runs in the fourth against B-Mets starter Greg Peavey. After allowing two singles and a fielder’s choice, Peavey surrendered his first run by uncorking a wild pitch. Ben Copeland tied the game with a double to right.

The B-Mets got the lead back with a three-run seventh. A walk and fielding error from Kyle Bellows at third ended the night for House. Bryan Price entered and loaded the bases with a walk to Sandoval. Kai Gronauer and Pedro Zapata provided consecutive run-scoring singles before Oswaldo Navarro supplied a sac fly to left field.

Kevin Mulvey took over for Peavey in the seventh. After two rocky outings, Peavey turned in a strong performance. The righty allowed two runs on six hits and struck out four over six innings.

Akron quickly responded against Mulvey. Ryan Rohlinger ripped a solo home run to left to start the inning. Kyle Bellows walked and was quickly chased home by Chun Chen’s pinch-hit double to right center field. Robert Carson relieved Mulvey and recorded two outs to preserve the lead.

The Aeros nearly broke through in the eighth. They loaded the bases with no outs, but failed to get the timely hit. After Carson got two straight outs, Ramirez entered and induced Bellows to fly out to end the inning.

Akron finally tied it in the ninth. Chen started the rally with a single up the middle, advanced to second on a walk to Tim Fedroff and scored on Juan Diaz’s single to left.

In the tenth, the B-Mets were kept in check by Mason Radeke, making his Double-A debut. The righty worked around a two-out single by Juan Lagares to up a scoreless frame.

Ramirez walked Rohlinger and gave up a single to Bellows to set the table to Chen in the bottom of the tenth. Jeff Kaplan entered from the bullpen and watched Chen lace his second pitch into right to give Akron the walk-off win.

Ramirez (0-1) suffered his first blown save while Radeke (1-0) collected his first win in his Double-A debut.

The B-Mets (12-12) continue their four-game series against the Aeros tomorrow night at 7:05 PM. LHP Mark Cohoon takes the mound for Binghamton against LHP Giovanni Soto. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pre-game show begins at 6:50 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF.

Press release provided by the Binghamton Mets