R-Phils Bash B-Mets in Slugest, 12-8

READING, PA - The Reading Phillies pounded out 15 hits, including four homers, and scored eleven runs with two outs to beat the Binghamton Mets 12-8 Tuesday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. The loss secured Binghamton's eighth straight year without a trip to the postseason.

The B-Mets collected eleven hits in the losing effort, the second time on the roadtrip they have reached double digits in defeat. Wilmer Flores led the charge with a three-hit night and finished a home run shy of the cycle. He extended his hitting streak to nine games and has hit safely in 16 of his last 17 contests.

The R-Phils drew first blood in the first against start Cory Mazzoni. The righty allowed the first two batters to reach safely and paid for it when Tug Hulett laced an RBI single to right and Tommy Joseph lined a run-scoring double to left.

Binghamton fought back with a vengeance in the fourth, hanging six runs on starter Ethan Martin. After allowing a leadoff double to Wilmer Flores, Martin became his own worst enemy, walking three straight, including Jefry Marte to force in a run.

Francisco Pena cleared the bases by lacing a double to left center. His three-run hit gave the B-Mets a two-run lead. Juan Lagares doubled the advantage with a two-run homer to left later in the inning. Reliever Colby Shreve entered and got the final out of the inning.

Mazzoni failed to hold the four-run lead in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs and runners at the corners, reliever Shreve beat out a potential double play ball, allowing a run to score. The play also extended the inning for Tyson Gillies, who cut the deficit to one with a two-run homer to center.

After Cody Asche doubled and Darin Ruf walked, Jake Fox chased Mazzoni from the game with a game-tying RBI double to right. Armando Rodriguez put the flames out by inducing a groundout to finally end the inning.

The B-Mets countered with two runs off Shreve in the top of the fifth. Flores led off with a single, took second on a wild pitch and scored when Raul Reyes singled to right. Jefry Marte brought Reyes home with triple to center.

Rodriguez posted a perfect fifth inning and retired the first two he faced in the sixth before things took a turn for the worst. Asche threaded a single through the hole on the right side to set the stage for Ruf. After working the count full, Ruf crushed his league-leading 37th homer of the season to left to tie the game.

Before the crowd could get back in their seats, Jake Fox blasted a solo shot to the same area, giving the R-Phils a 9-8 lead. Reading tacked on three more runs against reliever Brad Holt in the seventh and eighth, capped by Tommy Joseph's two-run homer.

Binghamton failed to crack the scoreboard again against the Reading bullpen. Tyler Knigge tossed a scoreless seventh and Kyle Simon kept the B-Mets off the board in the eighth and ninth to earn his second save.

Shreve (3-1) collected the win, allowing two runs on three hits over 2-1/3 innings. Rodriguez (2-3) surrendered three runs on three hits in the losing effort.

The B-Mets (65-71) continue their series against the R-Phils Wednesday night at 7:05 PM. RHP Gonzalez Germen takes the mound against LHP Adam Morgan. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pre-game show begins at 6:50 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF.