B-Mets use extras for third straight series win

8/2/2012 (Updated 8/3/2012 12:09:21 AM)

BINGHAMTON -- Dustin Martin rolled a walk-off single through the hole on the right side to give Binghamton a 4-3 win over the Harrisburg Senators in twelve innings Thursday night at NYSEG Stadium. Martins hit, Binghamtons 15th of the night, ended a four-hour, seven-minute contest that saw both teams combine to strand 28 runners.

With the game knotted at three in the bottom of the twelfth, reliever Jimmy Barthmaier issued a one-out walk to Raul Reyes. Sean Kazmar ended the rightys night and pushed the winning-run to second with a single to center.

The southpaw Patrick McCoy got the call to face Martin. The B-Mets left fielder fell behind 0-2 and rolled the next pitch weakly to the right side. The grounder evaded both first baseman Justin Bloxom and second baseman Jonathan Tucker and rolled into right field untouched. Reyes scored from second to give Binghamton their fourth walk-off win of the season.

The game was marred my missed opportunities by both teams. The Harrisburg Senators went 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position and stranded 14 runners, including a pair at third in the tenth and eleventh. Binghamton did not fare much better, leaving 14 aboard and hitting 4-for-16 with men in scoring position.

Cory Mazzoni made the start for the B-Mets and took his first no-decision as a B-Met. The righty matched a season-high with 10 hits allowed, but battled through seven innings. He surrendered three runs (two earned) and struck out four.

The B-Mets bullpen completed their homestand in stellar fashion by combining for five shutout innings. Brad Holt and C.J. Nitkowski combined to keep the Senators off the board in the eighth and ninth. Ryan Fraser stranded two runners in two shutout innings in the tenth and eleventh.

Adam Kolarek (1-0) worked around a leadoff walk in the 12th to post a shutout frame. He earned his first Double-A win after Martins walk-off single. The bullpen did not allow a single run during the seven-game homestand, a stretch of 17.2 innings.

After Harrisburg plated two runs in the third, Binghamton got on the board against starter Chien-Ming Wang in the bottom of the frame. Juan Lagares launched his third home run of the season against the Major League rehabber.

The B-Mets did not strike again until the seventh. Kazmar started the inning with a triple to center. Martin brought him home with an RBI single through the hole, a sign of things to follow. Martin took second on a sac bunt and scored the tying run when pinch-hitter Jefry Marte bounced an RBI single over the head of Tim Pahuta at third.

The B-Mets had multiple chances to win the game, but failed to break through with a timely hit in the eighth through the eleventh. Erik Davis allowed two singles in the eighth, but kept the B-Mets off the board. Binghamton got two more aboard in the ninth against Rafael Martin, but stranded both.

Hector Nelo posted a scoreless tenth, but fell into trouble in the eleventh. The righty allowed a pair of singles before exiting for Barthmaier. He inherited runners at the corners with two outs and induced Wilmer Flores to fly out to right field to end the threat.

Barthmaier (0-2) could not keep the run going in the twelfth, issuing a walk and allowing a single to set the stage for Martins hit.

Martin went 2-for-6 in the game and drove in two runs. The left fielder has hit safely in eight straight games and went 12-for-25 and collected eight RBI during the homestand.

Binghamtons longest game of the season saw 33 players (11 pitchers), 105 at-bats and 374 pitches. It was the longest game time-wise since the B-Mets and Senators took 4:14 to play 14 innings on July 28, 2011.

The win was Binghamtons fifth in a rubber match in 2012 and secured their third-straight series victory. The B-Mets have won seven of their last ten games.

The B-Mets (53-57) start a week-long stretch against two teams above them in the standings. They head south to start a four-game series against the third-place Reading Phillies on Friday night at 7:05 PM. LHP Darin Gorski takes the ball for the B-Mets against RHP Ethan Martin.

(Courtesy: B-Mets)

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