B-Mets battle to 5-3 extra-inning win

8/26/2012 (Updated 7:42:26 PM)

PORTLAND, ME  The Binghamton Mets used 15 hits and three Portland Sea Dogs errors in a 5-3 win in ten innings on Sunday afternoon at Hadlock Field. Wilfredo Tovar capped a four-hit day by driving in the game-winning run with a single to center in the top of the tenth.

With the game tied at three in tenth, Allan Dykstra walked against Portland reliever Michael Olmsted to start the inning and was replaced by pinch-runner Juan Lagares. With one out, Dustin Martin dribbled a roller to first. Olmsted received the toss from Travis Shaw, but failed to step on the bag. The righty followed the error by walking Juan Centeno to load the bases.

Tovar kept the rally going by lofting a single into shallow center. Lagares scored easily from third and Martin came home from second after a throw from center fielder Shannon Wilkerson bounced off his leg and rolled into left field. Brad Holt made the lead stand with a perfect tenth inning.

The B-Mets stole the spotlight from Portland left fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker who busted out the lumber to give the Sea Dogs the early lead in the first inning. The left fielder launched a 2-2 offering from Greg Peavey deep over the right field fence for his team-leading 18th round-tripper of the year.

The B-Mets responded with a four-hit attack in the second against Portland starter Jeremy Kehrt. After a pair of singles put runners at the corners, Juan Centeno bounced into a run-scoring fielders choice. Reese Havens gave the B-Mets the lead three batters later with an RBI single to left center.

Hazelbaker struck again to erase Binghamtons lead in the third. With a runner aboard, he sent a 3-1 pitch over the right centerfield wall. The drive, his second homer of the day, gave the Sea Dogs a 3-2 lead.

Binghamton used another four-hit inning to tie the contest at three in the fourth. With runners at the corners, Havens beat out a potential double play grounder to first, allowing Tovar to score from third.

Kehrt exited after allowing a season-high twelve hits over five innings and handed the torch to Brock Huntzinger. The B-Mets nearly grabbed the lead in the sixth, but were denied by Hazelbaker in left. Huntzinger walked the first two he faced and allowed a long fly ball to left center to Havens. Huntzinger made a running grab at the wall and threw out Tovar trying to scamper to third.

Peavey settled down after Hazelbakers home run and posted 4-2/3 scoreless innings to close his day. The righty retired 14 of the final 16 batters he faced, allowing just one more hit. Jeff Kaplan bridged the gap to the tenth by allowed one hit over two scoreless innings.

Chris Martin took over in the seventh and posted three scoreless innings to preserve the tie before Olmsted watched things come apart in the decisive tenth inning.

Tovars hit made Kaplan (2-0) a winner for the second time this month. Peavey took the no-decision, allowing three runs on six hits over seven innings of work. Olmsted (1-2) suffered the loss.

The win gave the B-Mets a series split in the four-game set with Portland. Binghamton finishes the season series with a 13-6 record, the most wins in one season against the Sea Dogs.

The B-Mets (65-69) continue their longest roadtrip of the season in Reading, PA where they start a four-game set against the R-Phils Monday night at 7:05 PM. LHP Mark Cohoon takes the ball against RHP Trevor May.

(Courtesy: B-Mets)