Trenton 2, Binghamton 1

The Binghamton Mets mustered just two hits and fell to the Trenton Thunder, 2-1, in game two of the Eastern Division Championship Series on Thursday night at Arm & Hammer Park. The B-Mets dropped both games on the road and head back to the Southern Tier trailing 0-2 in the best-of-five game series.

The B-Mets threatened early and often against Trenton starter Mikey O’Brien through the first four innings, but failed to break through. They stranded two in each of the first three innings and left seven aboard overall against the Thunder right-hander, failing to cash in on five walks.

As the B-Mets spun their wheels offensively, Ramon Flores got the Thunder attack started in the third by lacing a one-out triple to center. Zoilo Almonte, playing on Major League rehab while recovering from a left ankle sprain, put Trenton on the board with a sac fly to right field.

Josh Rodriguez put an end to Binghamton’s frustrations in the fifth. After working the count full against O’Brien, the third baseman threaded a solo home run over the left-field wall, tying the game at one. It was Rodriguez’s first homer since July 6, when he went deep against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

Gorski preserved the tie game with two perfect innings before getting nipped by the bottom of Trenton’s batting order in the seventh. Mason Williams reached by lining a single to center. With two outs and a full count, Ali Castillo laced a double to the right-field alley. Building off a head start at first, Williams scored easily from first, giving the Thunder a 2-1 lead.

Rodriguez’s blast proved to be Binghamton’s final hit of the game. O’Brien capped his night by retiring the final six batters he faced. Zach Nuding kept the streak going with a perfect seventh and preserved Trenton’s one-run lead with a scoreless eighth. Tommy Kahnle worked around a one-out walk in the ninth to collect his first save of the postseason.

Nuding (1-0) struck out two over a pair of innings to pick up the win. Gorski (0-1) allowed two runs on seven hits over seven innings in the loss. Adam Kolarek closed Binghamton’s pitching tab with a perfect eighth.

The B-Mets continue the Eastern Division Championship Series against the Thunder on Friday night at 7:05 PM at NYSEG Stadium. RHP Logan Verrett toes the rubber against RHP Shane Greene.

Key Stats

Josh Rodriguez: 1-for-3, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 RBI, 1 R

Wilfredo Tovar: 1-for-3, 1 BB

Darin Gorski: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 0 BB, 2 ER, 5 K

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

(Team Report)