Senators Downed by B-Mets; Still Tied in Playoff Race

The Binghamton Mets scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 2-1 lead, and then led for the remainder of Saturday evening at NYSEG Stadium, as they defeated the Harrisburg Senators 3-2. The Senators put a man on with one out in the ninth inning, but a double play ended the ballgame. With the loss, the Senators fall to 75-65 on the season, and remain tied for the final Eastern League playoff spot, with just two games left on the regular season schedule.

Brad Peacock (2-2) took the loss for the Sens, as he started the game and pitched four and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs on three hits. He struck out seven and walked four. Edgar Ramirez (6-1) worked two and two-thirds innings in relief of Binghamton starter Robert Carson, gave up one run, and got the win. Roy Merrit recorded the final two outs for the B-Mets to pick up his ninth save.

The Senators struck first in the ballgame, getting a run in the top of the first inning off of Carson. Stephen Lombardozzi walked to begin the game, and then Josh Johnson doubled to move him to third base. Jesus Valdez then grounded into a double play, which brought Lombardozzi home to put the Sens in front. But in the bottom of the first, Brahiam Maldonado hit a two-out triple to score Jordany Valdespin and Sean Ratliff from second and first, respectively, to give the B-Mets the 2-1 lead. Eric Campbell extended the Binghamton lead to 3-1 with a solo home run in the fourth inning. The Senators got one back in the sixth, despite watching the first two batters of the inning record outs. An error and a walk put Johnson on second base, and then Chris Marrero singled through the hole at second to drive him in, and cut the deficit to 3-2. In the ninth, Michael Burgess worked a one-out walk to put the tying run at first, before Merritt induced the game-ending double play.

Neither team mustered more than five hits in the ballgame, with Binghamton recording five and the Senators four. Johnson had half of the hits for the Sens, including the first-inning double. Marrero and Burgess had the other two hits. Ratliff had a hit and two walks for the B-Mets. The Senators had a great scoring chance in the seventh inning when Edgardo Baez reached third base with just one out, thanks to a walk, a groundout and a wild pitch. But reliever Elvin Ramirez struck out Marvin Lowrance, and got Lombardozzi to ground out to end the inning.

The Senators have two games left in the regular season, on Sunday evening and Monday afternoon in Binghamton. They remain tied with the Bowie Baysox for the second and final playoff spot in the Eastern League's Western Division. Bowie is at Richmond on Sunday and Monday. Sunday's game for the Senators is a 6:35 start in Binghamton, with RHP Ryan Tatusko (2-1, 1.82) scheduled to start on the mound. Fans can hear all the action by tuning in to 1460 AM The Ticket, or logging on to www.senatorsbaseball.com, beginning with the pregame show at 6:20.