Flurry of Early Runs Favors B-Mets in Sea Dogs 7-5 Loss

Flurry of Early Runs Favors B-Mets in Sea Dogs 7-5 Loss
Editor: David Mills
Mets come out on top in a battle of the bullpens


PORTLAND, ME - The Binghamton Mets (7-7) scored six runs in the first three innings and withheld the attack of the Portland Sea Dogs (4-12) late to hang on and win 7-5, Friday night at NYSEG Stadium.

Josh Rodriguez put the B-Mets in front for good with a three-run homerun in the third, finishing Chris Balcom-Miller's night on the mound for Portland. Balcom-Miller (1-2) allowed two runs on three hits in the first, and a run on a hit in the second before walking the first two hitters in front of Rodriguez in the third. The Portland righty allowed six runs, all earned, on five hits, he walked five and collected one strike out in two-plus innings of work.

Greg Peavey took the hill for Binghamton and was backed by his offense in the early innings. With two outs in the third, Jeremy Hazelbaker reached on an infield single and stole both second and third. Derrik Gibson singled Hazelbaker home for Portland's first run of the series. The two-out magic continued when Gibson scored on a wild pitch, and Bryce Brentz singled home Kolbrin Vitek to tie the game at three. Coming into this outing, Peavey had not allowed any run to score against him in his first two starts.

After Rodriguez' homerun put the B-Mets up 6-3, the Sea Dogs rebounded and plated two runs in the fourth on a Meneses homerun to pull within one at 6-5. That would be as close as the Sea Dogs would come as the B-Mets added an unearned run on a throwing error by Meneses that allowed Rodriguez to score from second.

Both bullpens were solid in relief of their starters. Jeremy Kehrt was first out of the 'pen for Portland and delivered four innings of scoreless relief. Arron Kurcz and Caleb Clay chipped in with an inning each, with the unearned run landing on Kurcz' resume. The Mets' relievers backed their starter with five and one-third innings of scoreless relief. Erik Turgeon (1-1) earned the win with two and one-third innings of relief.

Vitek went 4-for-5 at the plate and extended his league-high consecutive on-base streak to 16 games with a single in the first. Juan Carlos Linares' streak ended after 14 games, when he departed with an injury after trying to beat out a ground ball in the first inning.

Prime Motor Group Players of the Game: Kolbrin Vitek 4-5, 4 singles
Jeremy Kehrt 4IP, 4H, 0R, BB, K, 2GIDP

The Sea Dogs continue their seven game road trip with the third game of four against the Binghamton Mets Saturday afternoon at 1:05 PM at NYSEG Stadium. Portland will send right-handed pitcher Chris Martin (0-2, 6.14) to the mound. Binghamton will counter with lefty Mark Cohoon (0-2, 3.27). The Sea Dogs can be heard on the U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs radio network with 95.5/95.9 FM WPEI serving as the flagship station.

The Sea Dogs will return home to Hadlock and host the Reading Phillies on Friday, April 27th at 6:00 PM. Tickets are available for all Sea Dogs' home games. Tickets can be ordered by calling the Sea Dogs Ticket Office at 207-879-9500 or online at www.seadogs.com