Den Dekker perfectly fine at Double-A

Matt Den Dekker had one word to describe his first full season in the Eastern League: Good.

The Mets' No. 15 prospect continued his "good" season by going 5-for-5 with two doubles and three runs scored Friday as Binghamton held on for a 9-7 victory at Trenton.

Den Dekker singled in the first inning and scored one batter later on a three-run homer by No. 20 prospect Jefry Marte. He doubled in the third, singled again in the fifth and doubled home a run in the seventh before scoring on Eric Campbell's base hit. Den Dekker's third single of the night in the eighth completed the second five-hit game of his career.

"I've been seeing the ball well lately and it carried over into tonight," said the University of Florida product, who went 5-for-6 for Class A Savannah on Aug. 24, 2010. "It was a good game tonight. It's crazy. I don't think even in college I had one and I know I have two [in pro ball]. It's a good feeling, but I have to come back tomorrow and get ready for another one."

A fifth-round pick in the 2010 Draft, Den Dekker has been on a roll for four games, going 13-for-18 with four extra-base hits and seven runs scored.

"I've been aggressive early in the count and I'm getting some pitches to hit," he said. "I'm trying to stay aggressive and get a pitch to hit early."

Den Dekker, who recorded Binghamton's first five-hit game since Juan Lagares had one on July 25, 2010, ranks second in the Eastern League with a .336 average. The 24-year-old center fielder paces the circuit with 77 hits, 20 doubles, 45 runs scored and a .556 slugging percentage in his first full season with Binghamton. He played 72 games with the B-Mets a year ago.

"I finished last season here. I struggled, but I think that gave me some insight into the league," Den Dekker said. "I saw the difference in pitchers between High A and Double-A."

Marte finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs while batting behind Den Dekker.

"He's a great hitter and he's having a great year," Den Dekker said. "You like to hit in front of a guy like that because you know you're going to get some pitches to hit."

Zoilo Almonte, the Yankees' No. 16 prospect, plated a pair of runs for the first-place Thunder.