'Dogs win their fifth straight, 7-4 at Binghamton
Binghamton, NY - The Portland Sea Dogs (11-4) made it five straight wins, defeating the Binghamton Mets (9-6) 7-4 on Monday night in the series opener at NYSEG Stadium. Portland made history in the first inning, turning their first triple play in franchise history.
The Sea Dogs clinched a winning roadtrip, and have now scored at least six runs in nine of their last 10 games.
Henry Owens (3-0), the Top Pitching Prospect in the Red Sox system, earned his third win in four starts. Owens yielded four hits, three runs (two earned) on four walks and three strikeouts. In the first inning, the Mets had runners at first and second, but Brian Burgamy grounded right to 3B Sean Coyle to start a 5-4-3 triple play (Coyle-Mookie Betts-Travis Shaw).
Portland jumped to a 2-0 lead off losing pitcher Tyler Pill (0-3). Peter Hissey drove home series' first run with an RBI groundout and Travis Shaw (2-for-4) launched a one-out homer in the third. Shaw has hit both homers this season on the trip.
Owens worked out of a huge jam in the fifth inning. Jayce Boyd walked and Darrell Ceciliani doubled, but Owens retired the next three.
Both teams exchanged three spots in the sixth inning. Portland chased Pill out of the game after back-to-back run-scoring doubles from Stefan Welch and Blake Swihart. Pill worked 5.1 innings on seven hits and five runs. Henry Ramos put the 'Dogs in front 5-0 with an RBI single. Binghamton scored their three runs on run-scoring doubles by Burgamy and Boyd (2-run). Owens fanned the final batter he faced, Dustin Lawley, to end the sixth.
Mookie Betts (2-for-5) led off the seventh with a single and scored on a two-run homer by Shannon Wilkerson. Betts extended his on-base streak to 44 games, dating back to last August 2nd. Wilkerson hit his first homer of the season and Portland's sixth of the trip.
Noe Ramirez worked two innings of relief on one run, one hit and four strikeouts. Miguel Celestino hurled a perfect ninth for his first save of the season.
The Sea Dogs and Binghamton Mets play game two of their four-game series on Tuesday night beginning 6:35 PM from NYSEG Stadium. Portland sends RHP Mike McCarthy (0-2, 10.61) to the hill against Mets RHP Hansel Robles (1-0, 0.00). Radio coverage begins at 6:15 PM on the U.S. Cellular Sea Dogs Radio Network and www.seadogs.com.