Holt Halts Losing Skid, B-Mets Split Doubleheader

NEW BRITAIN, CT - After dropping the first game of a twin bill 4-3 in eight innings, the Binghamton Mets responded with a 6-2 victory over New Britain behind a quality start from Brad Holt Wednesday night at New Britain Stadium. Holt offered up 6 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on six hits for his second win of the year. The victory in the nightcap ended the B-Mets season-worst, eight-game losing streak.

Binghamton (14-28) wasted no time getting on the board against starter Spencer Steedley in the second game. Jon Malo tripled to right to lead off the game and Josh Satin chased him home with a sacrifice fly to center.

New Britain (26-17) scored the equalizer in the last of the frame, however. Chris Hermann roped a one-out double off the wall in left-center to reach scoring position. Joe Benson followed and drove him home with a double to right, which tied the score.

Jean Luc Blaquiere gave the B-Mets the lead for good in the third with an opposite-field solo homer to right-center leading off the inning. It was his first Double-A homer.

With Holt pitching well, Binghamton put the game away with a four-run fourth against reliever Santos Arias. Carlos Guzman and Raul Reyes singled back-to-back with one out. Then Arias walked Jose Coronado to load the bases for Blaquiere. Arias continued to struggle with his command and walked the B-Mets catcher to push Guzman home from third. After Malo popped out, Satin struck the crippling blow with a bases-clearing, three-run triple off the wall in right, which put Binghamton in control 6-1.

Holt departed to the win in the seventh after allowing two baserunners. Erik Turgeon finished the inning to secure the game after allowing one of the two runners to score on a sacrifice fly from Steve Singleton.

The B-Mets lost a back-and-forth affair in the opening game of the double feature. Mark Cohoon started and battled through 5 2/3 innings.

With the game knotted at three after seven innings, the game went to an extra frame where the Rock Cats earned the victory. Deibinson Romero led off with a single off Ricky Brooks. Chris Cates pinch ran at first and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Michael Hollimon. Mark Dolenc, who had a perfect 3-for-3 day going, came to the plate next and looped a single over first to chase home Cates for the game-winning run.

Binghamton led 2-0 out of the gates on starter Bobby Lanigan courtesy of an RBI triple in the first from Brahiam Maldonado and a solo homer from Coronado in the second. The Rock Cats responded with runs in the third and fourth to even the score, however.

The B-Mets retook the lead with a run in the fifth only to see New Britain answer the bell with a run in the sixth off Cohoon, which scored on a wild pitch.

Michael Tarsi earned the win with two, scoreless innings in relief of Lanigan, who worked six innings.

The four-game series wraps up with a 10:35 AM start Thursday morning. LHP Robert Carson (1-5, 4.17) takes the hill in search of the series split and will be opposed by RHP Brett Jacobson (1-0, 2.66). The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pre-Game Show begins at 10:20 AM on ESPN 1360 WYOS.