EL1 Binghamton Rumble Ponies

B-Mets Drop Finale with Altoona, 6-3

Published on June 30, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Binghamton Rumble Ponies News Release


Mike Antonini tied a season-high with seven innings and seven strikeouts, but allowed three runs to draw the loss in Binghamton's 6-3 loss to Altoona Wednesday night at NYSEG Stadium. Justin Wilson outdueled Antonini with a quality start of six innings of two-run work to earn his sixth win.

Binghamton (41-37) broke a scoreless deadlock in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out rally. Sean Ratliff doubled to center off Wilson to reach scoring position. Mike Nickeas followed with an RBI single to left-center, chasing home Ratliff to get the B-Mets on the board. Nickeas has now reached in 23 consecutive games dating back to May 24.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis upped the lead to two in the fifth with his tenth homer of the season, a solo blast off the scoreboard in right.

Altoona (50-28) responded in the sixth with three runs to take the lead. Chase d'Arnaud dropped a perfect drag bunt down the third-base line to reach leading off the frame. Gorkys Hernandez joined him on base with a clean single to center. With the corners drawn in expecting bunt, Josh Harrison roped a double past Nick Evans at third, plating d'Arnaud. Antonini finally got an out when Matt Hague grounded out to short, however, that brought across Hernandez with the tying run. Jordy Mercer put the finishing touches on the inning with a sac fly to right, scoring Harrison to give the Curve a 3-2 lead.

Antonini retired the final six hitters he faced before he departed as part of a double switch before the eighth inning began. The southpaw limited Altoona to five hits and a walk over his seven innings but drew his sixth loss.

The Curve rallied for three more runs in the eighth inning off relievers Emary Frederick and Roy Merritt. Frederick loaded the bases with one out after intentionally walking Matt Hague. With Jordy Mercer at the plate, Frederick wild pitched the first run home. Merritt followed the righty and gave up back-to-back RBI singles to Hector Gimenez and Miles Durham, pitting Altoona a 6-2 advantage.

The B-Mets showed signs of life in the ninth. Wilson and reliever Tony Watson had combined to retire 10 straight leading up to the final half inning. However, Nick Evans led off the stanza with a double on the first pitch he saw from Watson. Josh Satin, the next hitter, pushed Evans across with an RBI single. Then, Ratliff reached with a single to right, allowing the tying run to step to the plate. Watson settled down though and struck out Nickeas and Raul Reyes to move Altoona within an out of the win.

Diego Moreno was called upon to seal the win and did so successfully with a strikeout of Marshall Hubbard to notch his first save of the season with Altoona.

Despite the loss, Binghamton has won five consecutive series and welcomes Portland to town for a five-game set beginning Thursday at 6:35 PM. LHP Mark Cohoon (1-0, 7.94) is due to start for the B-Mets and the Sea Dogs will send RHP Casey Kelly (1-3, 5.05) to the hill. The radio broadcast on Newsradio 1290 WNBF begins at 6:20 PM with the Horizons Federal Credit Union Pre-Game Show.

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Eastern League Stories from June 30, 2010


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