; ;

B-Mets Fall Short, Despite Back-To-Back HRs, In 8-7 Loss

By Former Writers

July 20, 2013 No comments

719bing

New Britain 8, Binghamton 7

The Binghamton Mets nearly overcame a five-run deficit against the New Britain Rock Cats, but fell one run short in an 8-7 loss on Friday night at New Britain Stadium. The B-Mets thirteen-hit effort, which included back-to-back homers from Allan Dykstra and Rhyne Hughes, was not enough to trump Miguel Sano‘s game-deciding grand slam in the fourth inning.

The Rock Cats wasted little time to force B-Mets starter Darin Gorski to labor in the 90-degree heat. Danny Santana started the first by working a twelve-pitch at-bat before eventually striking out. Eddie Rosario reached on the first of three walks by the lefty, moved to third on a double and scored on a wild pitch. After getting a fly out, Gorski walked the final two batters he faced, exiting after throwing 43 pitches.

Jim Fuller inherited loaded bases in the first and struck out Dan Rohlfing to end the threat, but could not contain the Rock Cats offense in the second. After a walk to Santana, Eddie Rosario stroked an RBI double and came home on a single from Evan Bigley.

Binghamton responded against Rock Cats starter Virgil Vasquez in the third. Darrell Ceciliani extended his hitting streak to 13 games with an infield single and scored three batters later on a groundout by Danny Muno.

The B-Mets used the long ball to erase a 3-1 deficit in the fourth. Dykstra threaded his 17th home run over the left field wall and Hughes made it back-to-back blasts by clearing the right-field fence, tying the game at three.

New Britain broke the tie in resounding fashion by plating five runs in the fourth against the B-Mets bullpen. With one out, Santana singled off Fuller, stole second and scored the go-ahead run on Eddie Rosario’s single up the middle. After walking Bigley, Fuller was replaced by Ryan Fraser.

Fraser got off on the wrong foot, issuing a free pass to Josmil Pinto to load the bases. The right-hander immediately paid the price as Sano blasted a 1-0 offering to left for a grand slam, kicking New Britain’s lead to five.

Binghamton began to chip away against Vasquez in the fifth, his final inning of work. After a single and a walk started the inning, Rodriguez provided a sac fly to left and Cesar Puello laced a run-scoring double down the right-field line, trimming the deficit to three.

After loading the bases, but failing to score against Daniel Turpen in the sixth, Binghamton cracked the scoreboard in the seventh against Dakota Watts. Hughes and Forsythe reached on a pair of two-out infield singles and Ceciliani drove in one with a single to right. Watts bounced back with a shutout eighth.

Trailing by two in the ninth for the second straight night, the B-Mets put the pressure on reliever Cole Johnson immediately. Puello started the frame with a walk and Dykstra followed with a single. Johnson fanned Hughes, but surrendered a single to Forsythe to load the bases.

Ceciliani capped a ten-pitch at-bat by bouncing a chopper to the mound. Johnson fired low to second, pulling shortstop Danny Santana off the bag. The misplay allowed Puello to score and every runner to reach safely.

With the bases still loaded, Tovar bounced a fielder’s choice to first. Nate Hanson smothered the grounder and fired a low throw from his knees to the plate. Dan Rohlfing handled the ball and held the plate, nabbing pinch-runner Richard Lucas to preserve the lead. Johnson ended the threat by inducing Harris to bounce into a fielder’s choice at second. Rosario beat Tovar to second base to end the ballgame.

Fuller (2-2) was tagged for five runs on five hits in 2-2/3 innings of work in the defeat. Fraser bounced back after surrendering the slam and posted three shutout innings of relief. Gorski recorded just two outs, his shortest professional outing. Vasquez (3-2) allowed five runs on six hits over five innings in the victory. Johnson collected his second save.

The B-Mets (60-37) continue their four-game series against the Rock Cats Saturday night at 7:05 PM. RHP Jenrry Mejia makes his second Major League rehab with the B-Mets against RHP Trevor May.

Key Stats

Darrell Ceciliani: 2-for-5, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 SB

Allan Dykstra: 2-for-4, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 RBI, 1 R

Rhyne Hughes: 2-for-5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R

Wilfredo Tovar: 3-for-5

Darin Gorski: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 BB, 1 ER, 1 K

Jim Fuller: 2.2 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 ER, 5 K

Ryan Fraser: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 2 ER, 4 K

Adam Kolarek: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 1 K

(Team Report)