Late Lead Slips Away in 3-2 Loss

ALTOONA, PA - The Altoona Curve scored two runs in the eighth inning and defeated the Binghamton Mets, 3-2, in come-from-behind fashion on Wednesday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Adam Kolarek failed to preserve a one-run lead, surrendering three hits, including a go-ahead RBI single to Alex Dickerson, in the decisive inning.

With the B-Mets leading 2-1, Curve shortstop Alen Hanson started the rally with a one-out infield single. The speedy infielder narrowly beat Kolarek to the bag after hitting a dribbler to first. Adalberto Santos tied the game by roping a double to the left-field alley and Dickerson gave Altoona the lead for good by punching a run-producing single through the hole on the left side. Santos raced home from second, beating Travis Taijeron's throw from left with the game-winning run.

It was Altoona's first lead since they cracked the scoreboard in the fourth. Gregory Polanco started the frame with a walk against Darin Gorski, stole second and moved to third when catcher Travis d'Arnaud's throw skipped into center field. Mel Rojas Jr. executed a suicide squeeze with a bunt up the first-base line, plating Polanco with the game's first run.

Jameson Taillon tamed the B-Mets offense through four scoreless innings, but was burned by the bottom of the order in the fifth, his final inning of work. Wilfredo Tovar punched a single to left and moved to scoring position with his ninth stolen base of the season. With two outs, Alonzo Harris brought Tovar home by lacing back up the middle.

Binghamton used more two-out offense to grab the lead in the seventh. Reliever Zack Thornton walked Allan Dykstra to start the inning and uncorked a wild pitch, pushing the B-Met first baseman to second. Following a groundout, Richard Lucas lined a two-out single to left, plating Dykstra from third with the go-ahead run.

Gorski capped his strong night with three scoreless innings. The southpaw worked around a two-out single in a shutout sixth and side-stepped a one-out double in a blank seventh. He struck out season-high eight and exited with the lead after allowing one unearned run on four hits.

Luis Sanz took over after Altoona's two-run eighth and posted a shutout ninth, securing his 13th save of the season. Thornton (1-0) tossed two innings to earn the victory. Kolarek (2-2) was tagged with his first loss since April 28.

The B-Mets (67-42) conclude their three-game set with a rubber match against the Curve on Thursday night at 7:00 PM. RHP Erik Goeddel gets the ball against LHP Eliecer Navarro. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show on Newsradio 1290 WNBF begins at 6:45 PM.

POSTGAME NOTES: It was Binghamton's first loss of the season when leading after the 7th inning; they had been 57-0…the runs allowed by Adam Kolarek were the first earned runs surrendered by the B-Mets bullpen since July 20 (10 games)…Binghamton went 16-12 in July, tied with Erie for the most wins in the Eastern League

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