Comeback Bid Falls 90 Feet Short in Finale

MANCHESTER, NH - The Binghamton Mets left the potential tying run on third base after scoring three times in the ninth in a 4-3 loss to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Sunday afternoon at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium. Josh Rodriguez's 18th home run of the season snapped Binghamton's offensive malaise, but wasn't enough as the B-Mets split the four-game series.

Trailing by four in the ninth, Binghamton got their offense rolling against Taylor Cole. TJ Rivera led off with a single and Rodriguez cut the deficit in half with a two-run homer to left, his third hit of the game.

Danny Barnes took over and sandwiched singles by Vince Belnome and Joe Benson with a pair of outs. Xorge Carrillo worked a seven-pitch at-bat and shot an RBI single up the middle, cutting New Hampshire's lead to one. Benson, representing the tying run, moved to third, but was left there when Jared King grounded out to first to end the game.

Binghamton's offensive outburst in the ninth followed eight innings of futility against Cole. The right-hander allowed five hits and struck five over eight blank frames. Cole used a trio of double plays to erase three leadoff singles.

In support of Cole, Dwight Smith Jr. put New Hampshire on the board in the third by lifting an RBI double beyond Brock Peterson's reach in left field, bringing home Jorge Flores from first base. Shane Opitz crossed the plate in the fifth inning when Jonathan Galvez failed to cleanly handle Roemon Fields' hard grounder to third.

The Fisher Cats kicked the offense up a notch to stretch out their lead in the sixth. Emilio Guerrero ripped an RBI double off the left-field wall, plating Derrick Chung from first base. Opitz ended Matt Koch's day by lacing a run-producing triple past the drive of Peterson in left.

Koch (4-8) allowed four runs on nine hits over 5-1/3 innings in the loss. Cole (6-10) pitched into the ninth inning to earn his second victory against the B-Mets. Barnes earned his fourth save.

The B-Mets (68-57) open an eight-game homestand and start a four-game series against the Erie SeaWolves on Monday night at 6:35 PM. RHP Rainy Lara takes the hill against RHP Tommy Collier. 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: Binghamton had failed to score in 21 straight innings before their three-run ninth inning…Erik Goeddel allowed a single in a scoreless eighth inning in his third rehab appearance with Binghamton…Adam Kolarek retired all five batters he faced and has allowed one earned run in his last 24 appearances (26.2 IP)

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