EL1 Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Harvey Punches out Nine, But B-Mets Fall 7-4

Published on July 18, 2011 under Eastern League (EL1)
Binghamton Rumble Ponies News Release


PORTLAND, ME - Matt Harvey struck out nine Portland hitters over five innings, but the Sea Dogs plated five runs in the seventh inning to break a 2-2 deadlock and win 7-4 Monday night at Hadlock Field. Will Middlebrooks drove in four runs for Portland with a double and a homer in four trips to the plate.

The Sea Dogs struck first for their only runs off Harvey. Ryan Khoury started the first-inning rally by working a walk off the Mets 2010 first-round pick. Chih-Hsien Chiang moved Khoury to third with a double to right-center. Middlebrooks followed and plated both men with a double into the left-field corner.

Binghamton (38-58) struck the equalizer against Alex Wilson in the second inning. Dusty Ryan and Salomon Manriquez stroked singles to lead off the frame. Raul Reyes became the third straight to reach with a double into the alleyway in right field, which scored Ryan. Two batters later, Campbell drove home Manriquez with a fielder's choice to short which tied the score.

Harvey departed to a no-decision after five innings. The righty allowed two runs on five hits and walked three in his fourth Double-A start. Wilson bettered Harvey with 5 2/3 innings of two-run work, despite allowing nine hits. The Portland righty struck out six without issuing a walk.

Brad Holt followed Harvey and worked a 1-2-3 sixth inning to up his streak to 16 consecutive hitters retired. However, that streak was snapped in the seventh when Heiker Meneses led off with an opposite-field double off the wall in right. Jeremy Hazelbaker followed and dropped down a sacrifice bunt to third. Josh Satin fielded it cleanly and fired to first, but second baseman Jordany Valdespin, who was covering first, dropped the throw. The ball trickled away far enough for Meneses to round third and score, which gave the Sea Dogs the lead for good.

Portland (37-57) was not finished, however. Ryan Khoury worked a 13-pitch at-bat before smoking a double off the Maine Monster in left to score Hazelbaker and knock Holt from the game. The reliever was hung with his seventh loss.

Turgeon replaced Holt and got Chiang for the first out of the frame, but hung a breaking ball to Middlebrooks, which he blasted out of the yard to center for his 11th home run of the season. Portland added one run further, aided by another Valdespin error, to stretch the lead to five, 7-2.

The B-Mets did not go quietly though. In the ninth, Charle Rosario got two quick outs before Valdespin extended the game with a bloop single to center. Satin followed with a slow roller to third that was mishandled by Middlebrooks, allowing him to reach. Allan Dykstra and Ryan followed with RBI singles, trimming the deficit to three and bringing the tying run to the plate. Sea Dogs' stopper Blake Maxwell was summoned from the pen to face Manriquez. He induced a groundout to third to end the game and earn his ninth save.

Cesar Cabral was credited with the win in relief. The southpaw worked 1 1/3 innings in scoreless fashion for his second win.

The B-Mets lost despite outhitting Portland 14-10. Matt den Dekker and Ryan managed three-hit games.

Binghamton will look to even the three-game set Tuesday at 7 PM in the middle game. RHP Brandon Moore (6-7, 4.14) goes for the B-Mets opposite RHP Michael Lee (1-4, 5.33). The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pre-Game Show begins at 6:45 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF.

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Eastern League Stories from July 18, 2011


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