B-Mets Sneak Past SeaWolves, 4-3

BINGHAMTON, NY – The Binghamton Mets scored four runs on six straight hits in the fifth and stranded thirteen Erie SeaWolves en route to a 4-3 win on Monday night at NYSEG Stadium. Brandon Nimmo broke a tie game with a two-run single and the B-Mets pitching staff left seven Erie runners hanging from the fifth through the seventh, including six in scoring position.
Guido Knudson, making a spot start, pitched one batter in to the fifth inning. After allowing a lead-off double to Xorge Carrillo, he gave way to Slade Smith, who was welcomed by five consecutive hits, two of which were doubles, to plate the B-Mets lone runs of the night. The B-Mets got on the board with a Eudy Pina bloop single to right and added on when Jared King followed with a double down the right field line. Brandon Nimmo capped off the frame by stroking a two out single to center field to give the B-Mets their first lead of the night.
Binghamton’s pitching staff scaled a tightrope all night, stranding 13 SeaWolves on-base, and holding them to two hits in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position. Erie left a runner on in eight of nine innings, including multiple in four of the final five frames. The SeaWolves left the bases loaded in the seventh.
Erie got on the board with four consecutive one out hits off Seth Lugo in the fifth inning, but were kept from crossing home plate again until a ninth inning rally. Jon Velasquez was striving for a four out save when a Jeff McVaney sacrifice fly to right field cut the B-Mets lead in half. Leading by a run, Velasquez proceeded to strike out Austin Green to leave the go-ahead run on-base.
Lugo (1-0) earned his first win of the year, allowing two runs in 5.2 innings, while striking out seven. Smith (0-1) took the loss in relief, surrendering three runs and five hits in an inning pitched.
Binghamton is now 2-2 vs. Erie, with both wins coming in the series openers.
The B-Mets (7-5) continue their series with the Erie SeaWolves Tuesday night, with a 6:35 first pitch at NYSEG Stadium. Binghamton RHP Matt Koch (0-1, 7.71) gets the ball against RHP Derek Hankins (1-1, 1.64). The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting at 6:20 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF and the Binghamton Mets channel on TuneIn.
POSTGAME NOTES: Five different B-Mets registered multiple hits…The B-Mets are 4-1 in one run games…Jon Velasquez is 3-for-3 in save opportunities this season. He had one career save from 2011-2014