Two Binghamton streaks came to a close, when the Erie Sea Wolves edged the B-Mets, 5-3, in a Father’s Day showdown Sunday night. The Erie victory ended Binghamton’s six-game winning streak, a victory surge that had seen the the B-Mets build a four-game second place lead over New Britain. When Jose Valdez caught Brian Burgamy looking in the ninth inning, it ended a streak of eight consecutive at-bats where the B-Met second baseman reached first base safely. Burgamy had seven hits and a walk during a spectacular hitting run that included three doubles and a home run.
Angel Cuan had difficulty locating his curveball, but the gritty little left-hander battled through six innings on the mound for Binghamton. If he could take back one pitch, it would be a third inning curveball to Erie designated hitter Ramon Cabrera.
With Devon Travis leading off first base, Cuan had Cabrera in the hole 0-2 after three pitches. B-Mets catcher Kevin Plawecki called for a curveball and based on how he was set up, it appeared he wanted the ball breaking off the outside oedge of the plate. Cuan’s offering hung over the middle of the dish and Cabrera drove it deep over the left field wall, giving the Sea Wolves a 4-2 lead they would never relinquish.
Each team scored single runs in their first two at bats. After retiring the first two runners to start the game, Cuan surrendered a double to Travis. it appeared Cuan was out of the inning, but Binghamton’s first baseman Matt Clark couldn’t find the handle on Burgamy’s throw to first after a grounder up the middle. A heads-up Travis came all the way around from second to score for Erie.
Eric Young Jr. drew a lead-off walk for the Mets and hustled to third when Burgamy singled to center. Young tagged and scored on a Matt Clark sac-fly.
A Francisco Martinez double, put Cuan back in troube in the second. Martinez would later score on a RBI single by Aaron Westlake. The B-Mets would tie it up again with Dustin Lawley‘s home run in the bottom of the second. The score was 2-2.
After Erie took the lead on Cabrera’s home run, both teams added runs in the seventh inning. Dixon Machado laced a one-out double for Erie and scored on a Jason Krizan single. Burgamy duplicated the trick for the B-Mets in the bottom of the seventh scoring on a Matt Reynolds RBI single.
The B-Mets used a Jayce Boyd double and a walk to Lawley to get the tying runs on base with one out in the eighth. Erie’s Valdez came on to get the final five outs to close the door and seal the victory for the Sea Wolves. Valdez had a fastball that touched 98-MPH on the radar gun which helped strike out three of the batters he faced, enroute to his seventh save of the season.
Burgamy went 3-for-4 with a walk for Binghamton. The hot streak has helped the second baseman raise his batting average to .262. Lawley had two hits and a walk for the Mets.
The B-Mets welcomed the American Idol top ten who will be on hand to greet fans and sing the National Anthem when the three-game series resumes Wednesday against Richmond.