B-Mets cruise past Portland for series win

7/29/2012 (Updated 7/30/2012 9:02:44 PM)

BINGHAMTON -- The Binghamton Mets used eight walks and half a dozen hits to defeat the Portland Sea Dogs 6-2 Sunday afternoon at NYSEG Stadium. The B-Mets took the game wire-to-wire to secure their fifth win in the last seven games and their second straight series victory.

Portland starter Stolmy Pimentel struggled from the beginning, walking Juan Lagares to start the game. He issued four free passes in the first five batters, forcing in a run with walk to Jefry Marte. The righty plunked Dustin Martin to force in another run and surrendered a two-run single to Juan Centeno. Pimentel was pulled after recording just one out, his shortest outing as a Sea Dog.

Sean Kazmar added to Binghamtons lead with a long home run off Caleb Clay in the second. Kazmars blast, which landed in the rail yard beyond the left field wall, was his fourth of the season.

B-Mets starter Mark Cohoon took the five-run lead and breezed through the first five innings, allowing just one hit. Portlands biggest threat came in the sixth when Jackie Bradley Jr. launched a solo home run to start the inning. Cohoon bounced back by recording two outs, but could not close out the frame. The southpaw surrendered a pair of doubles, cutting Binghamtons lead to three.

A walk to Dan Butler and an infield single by Peter Hissey loaded the bases and ended Cohoons day. With the tying run on first, Adrian Rosario entered and struck out Derrik Gibson on three pitches to end the inning.

Frank Francisco made his third rehab appearance and worked around a bunt single in a scoreless seventh.

Facing reliever Will Latimer in the seventh, the B-Mets took advantage of two more walks. With two aboard on a pair of free passes, Dustin Martin capped a terrific series with an RBI single to center. In four games against Portland, Martin went 7-for-11 with six RBI.

Ryan Fraser posted a shutout eighth and returned for the ninth. He hit Gibson to start the inning and struck out Ryan Dent before being lifted for C.J. Nitkowski. The southpaw struck out both lefties he faced on three pitches each to end the ballgame.

Cohoon (6-7) earned his third straight win, allowing two runs on five hits over 5.2 innings. Four B-Mets relievers combined to allow just two hits over 3.1 scoreless innings. Pimentel (4-5) suffered the loss, his fifth on the road this season.

The B-Mets (51-56) enjoy a day off on Monday before starting a three-game series against the Harrisburg Senators on Tuesday night at 6:35 PM. RHP Zack Wheeler gets the ball for Binghamton against RHP Paul Demny.

(Courtesy: B-Mets)

VIEW VIDEO