B-Mets Open with Roar, Close with Whimper

ALTOONA, PA - The Binghamton Mets failed to score after Josh Rodriguez's first-inning homer and went hitless in their final 15 at-bats in a 2-1 loss to the Altoona Curve on Friday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Three Curve pitchers handcuffed Binghamton's depleted lineup while Altoona grabbed the lead for good against rehabber Bobby Parnell to hand the visitors their fifth loss in the last six games.

With Jayce Boyd promoted to Las Vegas and Michael Conforto still en route from St. Lucie, the B-Mets improvised in the series opener. Rodriguez, returning to Altoona after playing with the Curve in 2011, put the B-Mets on the board with one swing in the first inning. The third baseman deposited Angel Sanchez's payoff pitch into the left-field bleachers for his league-leading 10th home run of the season.

Altoona struck back in the third against Michael Fulmer. Adam Frazier poked a leadoff double down the left-field line and came home two batters later when Josh Bell stroked an RBI single up the middle.

Binghamton struggled to find the timely hit against Sanchez over the next four innings. The club collected five hits and walked twice, but went hitless in eight at-bats with runners in scoring position stranding seven through the fifth inning.

Fulmer capped his start with three scoreless innings, saving his most critical pitches for his final frame. After surrendering a leadoff triple to Willy Garcia in the sixth, Fulmer registered three straight outs, stranding the go-ahead run 90 feet away.

The Curve broke the tie with a two-out rally against Major League rehabber Parnell in the seventh. Frazier walked with two outs and swiped second, putting himself in scoring position for Max Moroff. The Altoona second baseman poked a single into right, bringing home Frazier with the go-ahead run.

Sanchez settled down after his bumpy start, retiring the final nine batters he faced before handing off to the Curve bullpen. After Altoona grabbed the lead in the seventh, Tom Harlan worked a perfect eighth and Jeff Inman collected his first save with a blank ninth.

Sanchez (5-1) allowed one run on five hits over seven innings to earn the victory. Parnell (0-1) surrendered the go-ahead run in his third rehab outing with Binghamton and took the loss. Fulmer allowed one run on five hits over six innings in the no-decision.

The B-Mets (25-23) continue their three-game series in Altoona on Saturday night at 6:00 PM. RHP Robert Gsellman makes his Double-A debut against RHP Jason Creasy. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting at 5:45 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF and the Binghamton Mets channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: Major League rehabber Vic Black returned to Altoona for the first time since posting a 1.65 ERA in 51 relief outings for the Curve in 2012; he did not pitch on Friday night…Binghamton suffered their eighth one-run loss of the season..Binghamton is 2-6 in their last eight road games

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