EL1 Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Antonini Answers Bell, B-Mets Sweep Akron 6-1

Published on May 2, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Binghamton Rumble Ponies News Release


Mike Antonini tossed 5 2/3 innings of one-run work and Jose Coronado went 2-4 with a double and two RBI in Binghamton's 6-1 victory over Akron Sunday afternoon at Canal Park, earning the B-Mets a three-game sweep over the Aeros. Antonini picked up his third win of the season and improved his season record to 3-2, having picked up decisions in each of his first five starts.

Binghamton (14-9) took advantage of an Akron error in the first inning to take an early lead. Shortstop Carlos Rivero drew Beau Mills off the bag at first on Kirk Nieuwenhuis' routine ground ball to short to open the game, allowing the B-Mets to get the leadoff man on base. Nieuwenhuis stole his way into scoring position where Luis Hernandez drove him in from on a single to center, making it 1-0.

After a 1-2-3 first from Antonini, the B-Mets would plate two more runs. Starter Paolo Espino issued a bases-loaded walk to Lucas Duda to push the first run across. D.J. Wabick followed with a routine groundball to second that should have ended the inning, however Cord Phelps booted it allowing a second run to score, running the lead to 3-0.

Antonini's only blemish occurred in the fifth inning. After retiring the first two hitters of the frame, the southpaw hung a two-strike curveball to leadoff man Tim Fedroff, who blasted the mistake over the wall in right for a solo homer. That proved to be the Aeros lone run.

Akron (8-15) got a decent outing out of Espino, who faced 15 men in the first two innings. The righty settled in and threw 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs, one earned, with a season-high six walks, but drew his first loss of the year.

Late-inning run-scoring has been a trademark of the 2010 Binghamton Mets and Sunday afternoon was no different. The B-Mets rallied for three runs in the eighth off reliever Steven Wright, who had been sent down to Akron from Triple-A Columbus prior to the game. Wright walked Carlos Guzman and Hector Pellot and allowed a single to Mike Nickeas to load the bases with one out. Nieuwenhuis hit into a fielder's choice to short, plating Guzman. Coronado put the finishing touch on the inning with an opposite-field double to left, which plated Nickeas and Nieuwenhuis to extend the lead to five, 6-1.

The bullpen took care of the rest. Jose De La Torre extended his scoreless streak to 13 2/3 innings with 1 2/3 innings of solid relief and Edgar Ramirez fired the final 1 2/3 innings to nail down the sweep.

The win marked Binghamton's second sweep of the season. The B-Mets swept the Erie SeaWolves at NYSEG Stadium April 12-14. The SeaWolves will tangle with Binghamton in the first of a four-game set Monday at 6:35 PM at Jerry Uht Park. RHP Eddie Kunz (2-2, 8.83) is due to make his fifth start and will be opposed by RHP Thad Weber (1-2, 2.86). The radio broadcast on Newsradio 1290 WNBF begins at 6:20 with the Horizons Federal Credit Union Pre-Game Show.

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Eastern League Stories from May 2, 2010


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