EL1 Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Nieuwenhuis Rips Five Hits, B-Mets Roar Past Portland 15-3

Published on April 20, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Binghamton Rumble Ponies News Release


Kirk Nieuwenhuis pounded out five hits, scored four times and drove in four runs to lead Binghamton to a 15-3 rout of Portland Tuesday night at Hadlock Field. It was the first five-hit game for a B-Mets hitter since Josh Thole managed five hits against the Trenton Thunder May 14, 2009 at NYSEG Stadium. The win ended a three-game losing streak.

Binghamton (7-6) wasted no time getting on the board against Sea Dogs starter Ryne Miller. Nieuwenhuis singled to center out of the gate. Nick Evans, who had missed the previous two games due to the flu, followed with a towering two-run homer to right-center, giving the B-Mets the early 2-0 advantage.

In the third, Miller walked the bases full with one out. The next hitter, Jose Coronado, stroked a 1-2 offering over the wall in right for a grand slam, making the lead 6-0. It was the first grand slam of his professional career.

Lucas Duda added to the B-Mets lead in the fourth. Nieuwenhuis singled to lead off the inning against reliever Ryne Lawson. Duda stepped in to the box with two outs and lined a double down the line in right to plate Nieuwenhuis with the team's seventh run.

Portland (6-6) broke up the shutout in the fourth on a bases-loaded single to right off starter Scott Shaw. In the fifth, the Sea Dogs plated two more on a one-out, two-run double from Luis Exposito to get within four runs at 7-3. However, that was as close as they would get.

In the sixth, Duda rapped an opposite-field double to plate a run and was followed up by another double from D.J. Wabick that brought two into score, putting the lead back at seven, 10-3. Duda went 3-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and two RBI.

The B-Mets managed a couple of more runs in the seventh off new reliever Jason Rice, who gave up an RBI double to Nieuwenhuis and an RBI groundout to Evans.

Binghamton's run-scoring came to a conclusion in the ninth. Not wanting to waste any further relievers in the blowout, Portland manager Arnie Beyeler sent Nate Spears to the mound for the ninth. Spears started the game as the Sea Dogs second baseman. He proceeded to allow two to reach on a walk and a single before throwing a gopher ball to Nieuwenhuis who exited the yard to left. The three-run homer was his fifth hit of the game.

Brahiam Maldonado, who was summoned from High-A St. Lucie prior to the game, went 2-4 with a double in his Double-A debut.

Shaw picked up his second straight win after tossing five innings of three-run work. The righty allowed four hits, walked four and struck out two. Jose De La Torre and Derrick Ellison followed Shaw up with two scoreless innings each.

Miller was hung with his first loss after allowing six runs in three innings. He allowed five hits and walked four. The B-Mets managed to score on all four Sea Dogs hurlers.

Binghamton will look for the series win in the rubber match of the three-game set at 12:00 PM Wednesday. LHP Mike Antonini (1-1, 7.27) will make his third start and Portland will go with RHP Kyle Weiland (0-1, 5.40). The radio broadcast on ESPN 1360 WYOS begins at 11:45 with the Horizons Federal Credit Union Pre-Game Show.

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Eastern League Stories from April 20, 2010


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