EL1 Binghamton Rumble Ponies

B-Mets Game Notes vs. Akron

Published on April 6, 2006 under Eastern League (EL1)
Binghamton Rumble Ponies News Release


The Latest

Tonight, the Binghamton Mets open the 2006 season against Akron, the second straight year the B-Mets and Aeros have opened the season against each other, but the first-ever Opening Night at NYSEG/Municipal Stadium for Akron...the B-Mets began the 2005 season with a 4-1 win over Akron at Canal Park, as Brian Bannister struck out nine over five shutout innings. Brian beat a rehabbing C.C. Sabathia, who allowed three runs - one earned - in four innings for Akron, as 2005 EL MVP Mike Jacobs drove in two of Binghamton's four runs...both Jacobs (Marlins) and Bannister (Mets) opened the 2006 season on Major League rosters.

About Binghamton

Tonight, the B-Mets begin their 15th consecutive Eastern League season, all of which have been played at NYSEG/Municipal Stadium...It is the 89th season of pro baseball in Binghamton, dating back to the 1885 Binghamton Bingoes of the New York State League...Of those 89 seasons, this is the 61st in the EL for a Binghamton baseball entry, dating back to the Binghamton Triplets, who were charter members of the EL (then known as the New York-Penn League) in 1923 and were members of the league from 1923-1963 and again in 1967 and 1968, Binghamton's last season of Minor League baseball until the B-Mets arrived in 1992.

About Akron

The Cleveland Indians' affiliate is back in action after beating Portland three games to one for the 2005 EL Championship, Akron's second in three seasons...Akron made the playoffs by taking the EL South title with a league-best 84-58 record, their third division crown in four years...former NY Mets infielder Tim Bogar is Akron's manager this season, taking over for Torey Lovullo, the reigning EL Manager of the Year. In 2005, Bogar led Low-A Lexington in the Houston chain, a club now managed Jack Lind, Binghamton's skipper last season...Akron won their last eight meetings with Binghamton after the B-Mets began '05 with a 6-3 mark against the Aeros.

This ‘N That

The B-Mets are 9-5 in season openers and 7-7 in home openers...Binghamton's dropped their last three home openers with the last win coming 4/5/2002 vs. Norwich...14 of Binghamton's first 21 games are at home...Binghamton begins '06 with two lefthanders, Evan MacLane and William Collazo, in their starting rotation. Last season, the B-Mets had only nine games started by southpaws, all of them by MacLane, who didn't join the team until late July.

Today's Starting Pitcher

Evan MacLane, LHP ('05: 11-7, 3.53)

2005

Went 3-2 with a 4.14 ERA in nine starts with Binghamton after being called up from St. Lucie 7/20...threw complete-game shutout in B-Mets debut 7/24 @ BOW (5 H, 2 BB, 7 K). Shutout was part of an 18-inning scoreless streak that began in his last St. Lucie outing and would end in his next start...didn't fare well in next four outings, giving up 20 ER and 32 H in 20 2/3 IP, but rebounded in final four starts, posting 2-0 and 2.17 marks during that stretch. Lasted at least 6 2/3 innings in all four of those outings and allowed three runs or fewer in three of the four...performed much better at NYSEG Stadium (2-1, 2.70, 5 GS) than he did at enemy EL ballparks (1-1, 6.04, 4 GS)...with Binghamton, had more success against lefthanded hitters (.217, HR) than he did against righthanders (.282, 6 HR)...walked nine in 58 2/3 innings with Binghamton and 24 in 171 innings in '05, averaging 1.3 BB/9 innings...1-2, 4.85 in six starts with the Grand Canyon Rafters of the Arizona Fall League. Allowed seven runs in first start, but just seven earned runs over final five outings, compiling a 2.63 ERA during that stretch.

vs. Akron

Second B-Mets start was a loss 7/29 vs. Akron (6 IP, 5 R, 8 H, 0 BB, 3 K)...retired nine of first 10 hitters before allowing four runs in the fourth inning, capped off by a Ryan Mulhern two-run homer...Mulhern hit a solo homer off Evan in the sixth and would finish the day 4 for 5...left trailing 5-2. Binghamton wound up losing 16-4.

Background

From Sacramento, California...combined to go 10-4 with a 2.44 ERA in 26 games, 22 of them starts, between Low-A Capital City and SS-A Brooklyn in 2004, finishing sixth in the NY-Penn League with a 2.48 ERA...spent 2003 with Rookie Kingsport, where he went 4-1 with a 2.88 ERA - 10th-best in the Appalachian League - in 14 games, six of them starts, before making one start with Brooklyn...26-12 with a 2.97 ERA in three-year career, walking only 49 in 370 innings (1.2 BB/9 inn.)...drafted by the Mets in the 25th round in 2003 out of Feather River (CA) Junior College...25-5 in two seasons at Feather River, earning co-California Junior College Pitcher of the Year honors in 2003...51-17 combined in pro and juco career for an amazing .750 winning percentage.

Repertoire

Changeup, fastball (84-88 m.p.h.), curveball, slider

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Eastern League Stories from April 6, 2006


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