Binghamton 6, Trenton 1
The Binghamton Mets grabbed the lead in the first inning and never looked back, defeating the Trenton Thunder, 6-1, Wednesday night at Arm & Hammer Park. The B-Mets collected their sixth-straight win, their longest winning streak since 2011, and became the first Eastern League team to earn 40 victories.
Facing Trenton starter Matt Tracy for the third time in five weeks, the B-Mets struck in the first. With runners at first and second, Allan Dykstra hit a sharp grounder to the left of Jose Pirela. The second baseman smothered the ball and fired an errant throw to first, allowing two runs to score.
Darin Gorski started for Binghamton and could not catch a break in the first frame. Making his first appearance following a seven-week stay on the Las Vegas 51’s disabled list, the southpaw surrendered three consecutive bloop hits to begin the first. Tyler Austin capped the trio by dumping an RBI single to center. Gorski limited the damage to one run by retiring the next three hitters.
The B-Mets added to their lead against Tracy in the second. Wilfredo Tovar started the stanza with a double and came home when Travis Taijeron laced a two-bagger to right. Tracy completed the inning, but was pulled after tossing 64 pitches over two frames.
Reliever Fred Lewis took the reins in the third and failed to halt a two-out rally. After surrendering two singles, Lewis walked Tovar and issued a free pass to Danny Muno to force in Binghamton’s fourth run of the game. The B-Mets added two more runs off Lewis in the fifth on two singles and a pair of Thunder errors.
After allowing a run in the first, Gorski allowed just two batters to reach over three shutout innings, capping his night by retiring the final four he faced. He exited after striking out five and walking one in four innings of work.
Major League rehabber Scott Atchison toed the rubber in the fifth and posted a perfect inning, starting a solid night for the B-Mets bullpen. John Church kept the Thunder off the board in the sixth and seventh and Adam Kolarek closed things out with two scoreless innings of relief.
While the B-Mets were kept off the scoreboard over their final four turns at-bat, Josh Rodriguez provided an offensive highlight. The infielder threaded a single into right in the eighth, extending his hitting streak to a career-best 23 games. It is the longest hitting streak in the Eastern League since 2006.
Atchison (1-0) struck out two and earned the official scorer-awarded win. Tracy (4-4) allowed three runs on six hits in the losing effort.
The B-Mets (40-25) bid for their second-straight series sweep and conclude their series against the Thunder on Thursday night at 7:05 PM. RHP Cory Mazzoni takes the mound for the B-Mets against LHP Nik Turley.
Key Stats
Travis Taijeron: 2-for-5, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R
Wilfredo Tovar: 2-for-3, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 RBI, 1 R
Alonzo Harris: 2-for-5, 1 2B, 1 R
Darin Gorski: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 5 K
Scott Atchison: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K
John Church: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K
Adam Kolarek: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 3 K
(Team Report)
Featured Image courtesy of Gordon Donovan.