Rock Cats Claw B-Mets in Opener, 4-0

NEW BRITAIN, CT - The Binghamton Mets struck out 14 times and went hitless after the fourth inning in a 4-0 loss to the New Britain Rock Cats on Friday night at New Britain Stadium. Binghamton went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine aboard in their fourth shutout loss of the season.

Rock Cats starter Sean Gilmartin exuded a bend-not-break strategy to tame the B-Mets through his first four innings. The lefty allowed five hits, walked one and hit a batter, but prevented Binghamton from cracking the scoreboard. He stranded two runners in three straight innings and racked up seven strikeouts along the way.

With Gilmartin keeping the B-Mets offense at bay, the Rock Cats struck in the fourth against Angel Cuan. After Cuan kept them off the board through three, New Britain loaded the bases on a walk and a pair of singles to start the inning. Nate Hanson broke the scoreless game with a sacrifice fly to left. A walk and two batters later, Mike Kvasnicka cleared the bases with a double off the left-center field wall, giving New Britain a 4-0 lead.

Gilmartin capped his night with two less-taxing frames, retiring seven of the final eight B-Mets he faced. In six scoreless innings, the southpaw allowed five hits, matched a season-high with nine strikeouts and held the B-Mets hitless in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position.

DJ Baxendale took the reins from Gilmartin and retired all five batters he faced before Ryan O'Rourke fanned Matt Clark to end the seventh inning. Matt Summers allowed the first two to reach in the ninth before closing out the game with two strikeouts.

Cuan (1-2) allowed four runs on five hits over five innings in the loss. He struck out a season-high five, while handing out three walks. Gilmartin (5-3) collected his fifth win of the season. Ryan Fraser closed Binghamton's pitching tab with two scoreless innings.

The B-Mets (30-23) continue their three-game series against the Rock Cats on Saturday night at 6:35 PM. RHP Matt Bowman takes the hill against RHP Virgil Vasquez. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show, starting at 6:20 PM, can be heard on News Radio 1290 WNBF and on the Binghamton Mets Baseball Network via the TuneIn App.

POSTGAME NOTES: The game started late following a 29-minute rain delay…it was the most strikeouts in a game since Binghamton fanned 14 times against the Akron RubberDucks on April 28…the defeat ended Binghamton's four-game winning streak against the Rock Cats…Binghamton has lost six straight road games

Catch the future stars of the New York Mets all season long at NYSEG Stadium. Visit BMETS.COM, stop by the box office or call 723-METS for tickets.

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