Richmond routes B-Mets in series opener

8/17/2012 (Updated 11:40:42 PM)

BINGHAMTON -- The Richmond Flying Squirrels scored eight runs in the eighth and ninth to defeat the Binghamton Mets by a 10-3 score Friday night at NYSEG Stadium. Richmond pounded out 13 hits, including seven for extra-bases, in the series opener.

After four scoreless innings, the Flying Squirrels grabbed the lead against Mark Cohoon on a two-run triple by Ryan Cavan.

The B-Mets responded with aggressive baserunning in the fifth. With Raul Reyes at first, Juan Centeno zipped a ground ball to third that bounced off Daniel Mayoras glove and rolled into left field. Reyes raced to third and scored when Nick Minnicozzis throw from left bounced away from Mayora.

Binghamton struck again in similar fashion in the sixth. Dustin Martin started the frame with a single and pushed the envelope by racing to third on Wilmer Flores single to right. Martin beat the throw to the bag and came home when Mayora tried to nab Flores at second, but airmailed his attempt into right field.

With two runners aboard later in the frame, Sean Kazmar gave Binghamton the lead by bouncing an RBI single up the middle. Flores easily scored from third, but Allan Dykstra was gunned down at the plate by Gary Brown to end the inning.

Owning a one-run lead, Cohoon took the game into the eighth inning before surrendering a single and issuing his only walk. With the tying run on second, reliever Ryan Fraser entered and loaded the bases by walking Mayora.

Juan Perez made Fraser pay by shooting a two-run double into left center. Richmond stretched their lead to three on a two-run triple by Wes Hodges. The Flying Squirrels blew the game open in the ninth, tagging reliever Brandon Moore for four runs on five hits, including three consecutive RBI doubles.

Richmonds eighth inning rally made a winner of Westcott (11-9). The righty allowed three runs (two earned) on nine hits over seven innings. Jake Dunning tossed a shutout eighth and Tom Vessella worked around two singles and a walk in shutout ninth.

Cohoon (7-9) suffered the loss, allowing four runs on six hits over 7.1 innings. Half his runs scored under Frasers watch. Fraser and Moore combined to allow six runs on seven hits over 1.2 innings of relief.

The B-Mets (60-65) continue their series against the Flying Squirrels Saturday night at 7:05 PM. RHP Cory Mazzoni opposes RHP Chris Heston.

(Courtesy: B-Mets)