EL1 Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Binghamton Mets game notes

Published on July 10, 2005 under Eastern League (EL1)
Binghamton Rumble Ponies News Release


Norwich Takes First Game The Norwich Navigators jumped out to a 5-0 lead and were able to stave off several Binghamton Mets rallies, winning 7-2 at Dodd Stadium yesterday. The game was delayed for nearly an hour and a half in the sixth, but B-Mets ace Brian Bannister was gone before then, chased after four innings. Victor Hall had an RBI double and scored a run and Joe Hietpas had two of Binghamton's five hits on the day.

Bye-Bye Bannister Despite the fact he turned in his shortest outing of the year and lost his third straight start, Bannister was called up to AAA Norfolk after yesterday's game. The Eastern League All-Star departs with a 9-4 record and 2.56 ERA, departing tied for the league lead in wins, third in ERA and strikeouts (94) and fourth in innings pitched (109). Bannister is the seventh B-Met, and fourth pitcher, to be called up to Norfolk this season.

It's How You Start... Yesterday, Bannister became the first B-Met starting pitcher in 10 games to last less than five innings. Over their previous nine outings, Binghamton starters posted a 3-1 record and 3.50 ERA (21 ER, 54 IP). Before yesterday, the last B-Met starter to last fewer than five was also Bannister, who went 4 1/3 innings in a loss to New Britain at NYSEG Stadium on June 28th.

Fit To Be Split Today, the B-Mets will play their fourth doubleheader of the season and second in five days. Binghamton has split each of its first three doubleheaders, only one of which was on the road. Wednesday, the B-Mets were within three outs of sweeping a twinbill from New Hampshire, but the Fisher Cats scored six times in the seventh for a 6-2 victory.

On The Mound Game 1 RHP Ken Chenard (6-6, 4.91) Last Time Out: Mon. vs. NH (ND): 5 1/3 IP, 8 R, 5 ER, 8 H, 0 BB, 2 K (L 10-9, 11)...Ken got off to an inauspicious start, allowing a two-run homer to Rob Cosby in the first. He also gave up a run in the third and three unearned runs in the fourth before leaving in the sixth with two on and one out. Both runners would wind up scoring as Ken allowed more than three earned runs for just the third time in 17 starts.

This Season: After struggling to go deep into ballgames earlier in the year, Ken's lasted at least five innings in four of his last five starts and 11 times overall. Ken has been more effective in nine starts on the road (3-2, 3.15) than he has been in eight NYSEG Stadium outings (3-4, 6.64). Ken's given up half his runs on the year in the first two innings, posting a 6.19 ERA, compared to a 4.07 ERA from the third inning on.

Against Norwich: Ken's faced the Navigators one other time this year, going a season-high-tying seven innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits and a walk, striking out five, in a no-decision June 18th at Dodd Stadium. Ken finished strong, retiring the last 11 in a row, but left with a 3-3 tie in a game Binghamton would lose 6-5 in 10 innings.

Background: The Victorville, CA native is in his seventh pro season after being selected by New York in the 46th round of the 1998 draft out of Fullerton (CA) Junior College. Last season, he tied for the B-Mets team lead in wins, going 9-6 with a 4.45 ERA in 27 games, 17 of them starts. Before coming to Binghamton, Ken spent most of the previous three seasons with High-A St. Lucie.

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Eastern League Stories from July 10, 2005


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