The first homestand of the season finished on a high note for the Binghamton Mets on Wednesday. Nick Evans drove home Kirk Nieuwenhuis with a sharp single to left to lift the B-Mets to a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over the winless Erie SeaWolves.
The B-Mets trailed the entire night and the defense struggled early. Santo De Leon got the SeaWolves started with a one out hit to right field. Justin Henry followed with a softly hit ball back to the mound that B-Mets pitcher Dylan Owen threw into centerfield. Cale Iorg made the Mets pay immediately as he slapped a double to right to make it 1-0.
SeaWolves (0-7) Catcher Jeff Kunkel popped out to shortstop Luis Hernandez, who fired a strike to the plate but Mets catcher Luke Montz couldn't hang on and Justin Henry scored the second run of the inning.
Binghamton came right back with a run in the bottom of the inning. Lucas Duda doubled to left and Zach Lutz hit a smash that De Leon couldn't handle at third. It went off his glove and behind him. Duda moved to third and moments later, Erie pitcher L.J. Gagnier balked as he attempted to pick Lutz off to give the Mets their first run of the night and pull them to within a run, 2-1. SeaWolves Manager argued his first call of the night when the balk was called, to no avail.
The Last run of the night for the SeaWolves came off the bat of Kunkel in the fifth inning, he sent a solo blast over the wall in right. That pushed the lead to 3-1.
The bottom of the sixth was an eventful inning for the B-Mets. Evans led off with a hard hit ball to center that looked like it was going to drop but left fielder Andy Dirks made a spectacular diving catch. Marshall Hubbard followed that up with his fifth double of the season down the right field line.
After Lucas Duda flied out, Lutz reached on a slow grounder that was picked up by Iorg, who double pumped and Lutz reached first, with Hubbard moving to third. Brendan Wise was called on to pitch for Erie.
Carlos Guzman hit a ground ball that first baseman Bertram had to come in on and Guzman was able to avoid his tag and reach first safely, allowing Hubbard to score the B-Mets second run. Nevin argued the call, contending Guzman was tagged out. Hubbard's run made it 3-2.
Binghamton had a chance to tie in the eighth when Hubbard smoked another double, this one to right off reliever Jared Gayhart. Jonathan Malo was called on to run for Hubbard and moved to third on a groundout by Duda. Lutz followed with a walk and was pinch run for by Hector Pellot. The SeaWolves got out of the inning when Guzman sent a lazy fly to center and the threat was extinguished.
After a 1,2,3 inning in the top of the ninth, the B-Mets were down to their last at-bat. With one out, Luis Hernandez singled and Jose Coronado followed with a strikeout, which was dropped by Kunkel and Hernandez stole second, just ahead of Kunkel's throw. Nevin argued that call, but as he had on the last two occasions, he was sent back unsatisfied.
Nieuwenhuis was next up and came through with a rope single to score Hernandez and knot the game at 3.
"That was a clutch hit by Nieuwenhuis," said B-Mets Manager Tim Teufel. "That was the difference, it allowed us to get into extra innings and potentially winning the ballgame
The bottom of the 10th inning saw the B-Mets load the bases with one out, but the SeaWolves wiggled out of trouble with a couple good defensive plays and that took the game into the 11th.
Second baseman started the inning for Erie and hit a ball to Pellot at second, who made a wide throw that Evans had to dove for, but somehow kept his foot on the bag and recorded the out. That was the last straw for Nevin, as he got in the face of the first base umpire and was promptly tossed from the game. The SeaWolves came up empty in that inning.
The B-Mets (4-3) were able to keep the SeaWolves at bay for two more innings and finally ended the game in the bottom of the 13th. With one out, Hernandez singled, but was picked off soon after. Coronado walked and Nieuwenhuis singled to left to put runners at first and second. That brought Evans and his .381 average to the plate. He singled to left and Teufel sent Coronado home. The throw and Coronado were neck and neck, but Coronado slid in safely and the B-Mets snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
A lot of credit has to go to the bullpen which was pummeled early on in the seven game stint, but battled back to put together three solid games in a row, including Wednesday night.
Derrick Ellison and Josh Stinson (1-0) combined for seven innings of shutout baseball.
Teufel admitted that the slow start definitely concerned him and the coaching staff early, but after the last few games, that has changed. "Those concerns are definitely being answered," he said. "Guys are stepping up, doing a heck of a job."
As the team heads out on its first road trip of the season, the key is to keep doing what they've done over this current three game winning streak.
"It's a nice momentum we got going here," We started 1-3 and we're feeling good about what's going on. We're swinging the bats. Our pitching was a little off early, but now the bullpen's done a great job and I think guys are starting to come into their game and their roles are being defined and there's a good feeling in the clubhouse. We'll see if we can take it on the road."
For more info: Erie @ Binghamton boxscore 4/14/10
Game Notes: Prior to Wednesday's game, RHP Jose De La Torre (0-0, 1.93) was transferred from Binghamton (AA) to Buffalo (AAA).
The Fisher Cats (4-2) will send Zach Stewart (1-0, 1.80) to the hill against Binghamton's Scott Shaw (0-1, 27.00). Game time is set for 6:35 pm EDT and you can listen to all the action on WNBF1290, with the voice of the B-Mets Matt McCabe.
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