B-Mets Let SeaWolves Off Leash Late, 6-4

ERIE, PA - The Binghamton Mets squandered a four-run lead in the seventh inning and fell to the Erie SeaWolves, 6-4, on Saturday night at Jerry Uht Park. After being held to two hits through six frames, the Erie SeaWolves plated six runs on five hits against reliever Armando Rodriguez to defeat the B-Mets in the middle game of a three-game series.

Rhyne Hughes blasted the B-Mets onto the scoreboard in the second. The second baseman stung a 1-0 pitch from Drew VerHagen over the right-field wall to lead off the inning. VerHagen stumbled later in the inning and walked Wilfredo Tovar and Alonzo Harris with two outs. Danny Muno made the righty pay by dumping a two-run single into left, stretching Binghamton's lead to three.

Binghamton padded their lead against reliever David Kopp in the fifth. Tovar jumpstarted the push with a line drive double down the right-field line. Josh Rodriguez brought Tovar home three batters later by squeaking a groundball single past shortstop Brandon Douglas.

Syndergaard easily tamed the SeaWolves offense over five shutout frames. The right-hander faced three over the minimum and never allowed any runner to reach third. He surrendered two hits, walked one and struck out five, throwing 41 of his 56 pitches for strikes.

Rodriguez took over and posted a perfect sixth, before letting Binghamton's four-run lead get away in the seventh. The righty walked two to start the inning before Wade Gaynor put the SeaWolves on the board with an RBI double off the right-centerfield wall. With two outs, James Robbins tied the game by poking a three-run homer inside the right-field foul pole.

Erie rode the momentum to a lead in the eighth against Rodriguez. After Daniel Fields led off with a single, Ramon Cabrera scorched a line drive to center field. Alonzo Harris misread the drive and watched it sail over his head, allowing Fields to come home with the go-ahead run. Erie used a suicide squeeze to tack on an insurance run later in the inning.

Melvin Mercedes posted a perfect ninth inning to secure his eighth save. Will Startup (5-1) retired all five B-Mets he faced in the seventh and eighth to claim the victory. Rodriguez (1-1) allowed six runs on five hits over three innings in his first blown save.

The B-Mets (74-46) conclude their series against the SeaWolves on Sunday at 1:35 PM. LHP Mark Cohoon takes the mound against LHP Ramon Garcia. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show begins at 1:20 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF. Fans can also listen to live coverage of B-Mets baseball via the "Binghamton Mets Baseball Network" station using the TuneIn app on their mobile devices.

POSTGAME NOTES: The B-Mets went hitless after Rodriguez's RBI single in the fifth inning…Binghamton went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position…Armando Rodriguez has allowed all eight runs the B-Mets bullpen has surrendered in the last nine games

Individual tickets for all Binghamton Mets 2013 home games are on sale now. Visit the NYSEG Stadium box office during regular operating hours, purchase them online at www.bmets.com or call the office at (607) 723-METS.

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