Rodriguez Homers Twice as Rock Cats Fall to Binghamton 8-3

Published on June 30, 2014 under Eastern League (EL1)
New Britain Rock Cats News Release


New Britain, CT - The Rock Cats fell to the Binghamton Mets by the score of 8-3 at New Britain Stadium on Monday evening.

Offense came at a premium for the home club but DH Reynaldo Rodriguez was locked in, going 2-4 with two solo home runs. The slugger, who is in his second year with New Britain is now tied with Kennys Vargas for Team High in home runs at 14.

Visiting Binghamton gained the early advantage in the top of the second, going up 2-0 on a bases-loaded single from SS Rylan Sandoval. The nine-hole hitter brought home both LF Brandon Nimmo and DH Travis Taijeron with the third hit of the inning - all singles off of Rock Cats starter LHP Taylor Rogers.

New Britain cut into that lead in the bottom of the second on a solo home run from DH Reynaldo Rodriguez off of RHP Rainy Lara.

Binghamton tacked on three more runs in the top of the seventh to make it a 5-1 game. 1B Jayce Boyd sent a single past a diving SS Tony Thomas, allowing RF Kyle Johnson to score all the way from second. 3B Dustin Lawley followed up with a two-run double out in the left-center gap to score both Boyd and 2B Dilson Herrera. Rock Cats reliever RHP Adrian Salcedo was on for both scoring plays but was charged with only one run.

The home club would not go quietly into the night, picking up a run in the bottom of the seventh to pull the Rock Cats within three. RF Mike Kvasnicka cracked a one-out double high off the wall in right field off of B-Mets reliever RHP Jon Velasquez and eventually came home on a productive groundout from C Kyle Knudson.

With the score 6-2 in the top of the ninth, B-Mets 3B Dustin Lawley sent a LHP Jim Fuller fastball over the wall in left for a two-run home run that would cap the scoring for the visitors on this night.

Down to their last at-bats, Rodriguez hammered his second home run of the night off of RHP Randy Fontanez to make it an 8-3 ballgame.

Binghamton starter RHP Rainy Lara scattered five hits over six innings, allowing just one run while walking one and striking out five. His record improves to 5-2.

Rogers worked into the seventh inning for New Britain, allowing four runs on six hits while walking two and striking out three. The lefthander's record drops to 7-5 in the loss, his first since June 3rd.

The Rock Cats continue their four-game series against the New York Mets' Double-A affiliate on Tuesday evening with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. RHP Jason Wheeler gets the call for New Britain and will face off against Binghamton RHP Hansel Robles.

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Eastern League Stories from June 30, 2014


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