EL1 Binghamton Rumble Ponies

B-Mets Sneak by Portland in Home Opener

Published on April 16, 2009 under Eastern League (EL1)
Binghamton Rumble Ponies News Release


In front of 5,148 fans at NYSEG Stadium, the second largest crowd in home-opener history, the B-Mets picked up a win behind strong bullpen performances and the bat of Lucas Duda.

Duda drove in two runs, which proved to be the difference makers, down the stretch for Binghamton (4-2). His RBI single in the fifth inning scored Josh Thole from second to give the B-Mets their first lead of the contest 3-2.

After Thole's second double of the game and a Shawn Bowman single, Duda tallied his second RBI on a sacrifice fly to left field to make the score 4-2.

The Duda sacrifice fly proved to be big down the stretch as Julio De La Cruz was charged with an earned run after departing in the eighth inning stranding a runner at second with one out for closer Roy Merritt. With two outs, Jorge Jimenez got the Sea Dogs within one with an RBI single to center to score Lars Anderson, who had doubled off of De La Cruz.

But Merritt came out firing in the ninth inning, retiring Portland (4-4) in order to seal the win and his fourth save. Merritt went 1.2 innings, his longest outing of the season, to nail down the save.

Fernando Nieve got the starting nod for the B-Mets going three innings surrendering two runs and left in a tie ball game. Nieve is a former Major League pitcher with the Houston Astros who was assigned to Binghamton after being claimed off waivers by the Mets. LHP Adam Bostick (1-0) was awarded the win for three scoreless innings of relief striking out five.

Thole finished 2-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. Carl Loadenthal added three hits in four plate appearances, including a double to raise his average to .381.

Binghamton continues the homestand tomorrow with a 7:05 PM showdown with Porltand. RHP Dylan Owen (0-0, 3.60) gets the ball for the B-Mets and will face a starter who has yet to be named from Portland. The radio broadcast on Newsradio 1290 WNBF begins at 6:50 with the Horizons Federal Credit Union Pre-Game Show.

Gates open at 5 PM tomorrow for the first installment of Happy Hour at the Hive, which gives fans 2-for-1 pricing on select beverages until 7. The ballgame will be followed by the premier of the Toyota Fireworks Series compliments of NewsChannel 34, 92.5 KGB FM, Mix 103.3 FM, Star 105.7 FM, 107.5 The Bear, 1430 The Team and 680 AM WINR. Tickets are available online at bmets.com, in person at the NYSEG Stadium box office (9am-5pm) and over the phone at 723-6387.

Check out the Binghamton Rumble Ponies Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Eastern League Stories from April 16, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central