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EL1 Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Tazawa Terrific, B-Mets Falter 4-3

May 6, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
Binghamton Rumble Ponies News Release


Japanese righty Junichi Tazawa provided a six-inning effort of one-run baseball and the Portland offense had just enough to outlast the B-Mets 4-3. Jonathan Malo and Ruben Tejada had breakout games at the plate hammering out three hits each in the loss.

Tazawa threw six innings mixing his fastball and curveball masterfully, allowing just one run on six hits with three strikeouts. The lone run he gave up came in the second when the B-Mets tied the score. Lucas Duda drew a one-out walk and Shawn Bowman singled to set the stage for Carl Loadenthal, who singled down the third base line to drive in Duda and tie it, 1-1.

The Sea Dogs pulled ahead for good in the fifth. Starter Fernando Nieve worked into the fifth inning for the first time and allowed the leadoff man to reach for the fifth straight inning when Bubba Bell singled to open the fifth. With one out, Lars Anderson doubled down the right field line to drive home Bell and knock Nieve out of the game. Then, Eric Brown came on in relief and proceeded to give up an RBI single to Aaron Bates to make the lead 3-1.

Portland (13-12) scored its final run in the sixth as they reached with their first two hitters when Jon Still doubled and John Otness singled to put runners at the corners. Then, Reid Engel grounded into a fielder's choice to second to allow Still to score and expand the lead to 4-1.

Binghamton (12-12) fought back with a bases loaded single off Richie Lentz with two outs from Malo that scored a run to cut the lead to two.

The score was 4-2 in the ninth when it got interesting. Reliever Bryce Cox got the first out with ease, but then gave up a triple to Tejada. The next hitter Emmanuel Garcia grounded out to score Tejada from third to make it a one-run game.

Cox was removed from the game after giving up a two-out hit to Malo in favor of RHP T.J. Large. The first hitter Large faced was D.J. Wabick, who worked the counted to 2-2 before singling to shallow left putting the tying run at second. Manager Mako Oliveras sent Josh Thole to the plate to pinch-hit for Salvador Paniagua with a chance to tie or win the game, but Thole hit a come-backer to the mound that Large handled with ease to end the game.

Malo finished with a 3-5 night at the plate including a double and an RBI, while Tejada was a perfect 3-3, finishing a home run short of the cycle with a run scored and a walk.

Nieve had his longest start of the season going 4.1 innings giving up three runs on six hits to take his first loss of 2009.

The final game of the seven-game B-Mets' homestand is tomorrow against Portland. Binghamton will throw LHP Mike Antonini (3-1, 5.84) and the Sea Dogs will counter with RHP Blake Maxwell (0-1, 8.59). The game is slated for a 6:35 first pitch and the radio broadcast on Newsradio 1290 WNBF begins at 6:20 with the Horizons Federal Credit Union Pre-Game Show.

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