Timely Hitting Leads B-Mets Past Fisher Cats, 9-2

MANCHESTER, NH – The Binghamton Mets offense supplied 14 hits and the pitching staff racked up a season-high 15 strikeouts in a 9-2 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Thursday night at Northeast Delta Stadium.

Trailing by one in the sixth, outfielder Juan Lagares laced a two-run, bases-loaded single to center to give the B-Mets the lead for good. It was one of six hits Binghamton collected with runners in scoring position.

The Fisher Cats were the first on the board, plating a run in the fourth on a sac fly against starter Zack Wheeler. The righty was activated from the disabled list before the game after missing one start with a right middle fingernail avulsion.

The B-Mets answered back with a run in the fifth. Juan Lagares shot a seeing-eye single to center and advanced to third when Mark Sobolewski uncorked a throwing error on a groundball by Eric Campbell. Juan Centeno bounced a ground out to short to plate Lagares, tying the game at one.

After the Fisher Cats grabbed the lead with another sac fly in the fifth, the B-Mets pieced together a two-out rally to take the lead in the sixth. Raul Reyes and Jerfy Marte started the charge with consecutive singles. After Reese Havens walked to load the bases, Lagares chased Jenkins from the game by lining a two-run single into center field. It was Binghamton’s first hit with the bases loaded since April 28. They had gone 0-for-11 between hits.

The two-out single helped make a winner of Wheeler (2-2). The righty allowed two runs on six hits over five innings. Armando Rodriguez took over and struck out five over two scoreless innings.

Binghamton added to their lead with more two-out hitting in the seventh. With two down, Josh Rodriguez shot a double to right and Raul Reyes hammered an RBI single into center, giving the B-Mets a 4-2 lead.

The B-Mets put the game out of reach with a five-run ninth inning, pounding reliever Clint Everts for five hits and adding one more against Matt Wright.

After throwing a perfect eighth, Jeff Kaplan returned for the ninth. He loaded the bases to start the frame, but retired three straight to collect his first career Double-A save.

The B-Mets (15-17) continue their four-game series against the Fisher Cats Friday night with first pitch at 6:35 PM. RHP Gonzalez Germen makes his second Double-A start against RHP Deck McGuire. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pre-game show begins at 6:20 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF.

Press release provided by the Binghamton Mets