The Binghamton Mets Are Headed To The Eastern League Championship Series

The Binghamton Mets are headed back to the Eastern League Championship Series after a 2 decade absence.  They last reached, and won the finals in 1994.  That followed the organization’s first title in 1992 (their inaugural season as a Mets affiliate).

After splitting the first 2 games in Binghamton, and facing elimination after Game 3’s loss, the BMets captured Game 4 and 5 on the road to win the series (3-2) over the Portland Sea Dogs.

In those final two games, the Mets rode big innings to victory.  They scored 7 runs in the 6th inning of Game 4, and in the 4th inning of Game 5 mounted a similar attack.

Jul 4, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; MLB baseballs and a glove sit on the field prior to the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Philadelphia Phillies at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

In the Eastern League finals, they will face the Richmond Flying Squirrels who defeated the Akron Storm Chasers 3 games to 1.  This will be Richmond’s second ever trip to the championship series and Binghamton’s third.

Binghamton’s series win over the Portland Sea Dogs also breaks a string of 5 playoff appearances without a series win dating back to 1996.

Last season, the BMets were swept (3-0) in the first round by the Trenton Thunder after posting a record setting 86-win regular season.

This year, the Binghamton Mets posted an 83-59 regular season record, while Portland posted 88 regular season victories.

Game 5 Summary:

Gabriel Ynoa climbed the hill for Binghamton.

The Sea Dogs chipped away at Ynoa until the 6th inning when he tired and ran into trouble.  Ynoa escaped a lead-off single by David Chester, when center fielder Darrell Ceciliani threw him out attempting a double.  But, another hit by third baseman Stefan Welch, and a run scoring double by right fielder Jonathan Roof knocked Ynoa from the game.

• Gabriel Ynoa exited on the winning side after 5.2 innings.  He allowed 5 earned runs on 9 hits and one walk.  He faced 26 batters, threw 89 pitches with 67 (75%) going for strikes, and fanned 8 batters.

• In relief, Hansel Robles turned in 2.1 scoreless innings and struck out 4, and Cody Satterwhite closed out the game with 2 strikeouts in a scoreless 9th.

A pair of Mets runs in the opening frame, and a 6 run outburst in the 4th was enough to carry Binghamton to an 8-5 victory.

• Top 1st inning – Brandon Nimmo led-off the game with a double to right off Sea Dogs starting pitcher, Luis Diaz.  With 1-out, Brian Burgamy stroked another double to center to score Nimmo.  With 2-outs, Travis Taijeron singled home Burgamy for an early 2-0 Mets lead.

• Top 4th inning – Dustin Lawley opened with a single, and was sacrificed to second by Xorge Carrillo.  Wilfredo Tovar‘s single scored Lawley.  Brandon Nimmo singled to right – Tovar scored all the way from first, and Nimmo reached second on an E-9 by Jonathan Roof.  Brian Burgamy drew a 2-out walk.  After Luis Diaz hit Jayce Boyce with a pitch to load the bases, he was relieved by Dayan Diaz.  Darrell Ceciliani greeted him with a bases clearing double.  A wild pitch advanced Ceciliani to third, and Travis Taijeron singled Ceciliani home to give the BMets (at the time) an 8-1 lead.

• Final Score: bmets 8; SEA DOGS 5

Series Highlights:

• Despite getting shut out by the Sea Dogs 7-0 in Game 2, the BMets outscored the Portland Sea Dogs in the series by a 30-27 margin.

• During the regular season, Darrell Ceciliani hit .289 with 17 doubles in 106 games.  He batted .389 in 5 games against Portland, going 7 for 18, with 6 doubles and 7 RBI.

• In Game 4, Wilfredo Tovar had 2 hits and 2 RBI in one inning.  He batted .444 in the series, on 6 for 18 from the plate.

• Lead-off batter Brandon Nimmo batted .364, going 8 for 22, with 6 runs scored.  Most of his damage came in the final 2 games.  He went 3 for 5 with 3 runs in Game 4, and was 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored in the series finale.

• T.J. Rivera was 0 for 8 in the 2 losses to Portland.  In Binghamton’s 3 wins, he batted .533, going 8 for 15, with one home run, 6 RBI, and 5 runs scored.

• Binghamton’s bullpen pitched brilliantly.  Over the 5 games they combined on 19.2 innings, allowing 7 runs/only 3 earned for a 1.40 ERA.  They surrendered 13 hits, issued just 4 walks, and combined on 21 strikeouts.

• In 2 relief appearances (Game 1 and 5), Hansel Robles pitched 2.1 innings, allowed no runs, and struck out 4 each time.

• Binghamton’s starting pitchers didn’t shine as brightly.  They combined on a 2-1 record, with 2 no-decisions.  In 24.1 innings pitched, they combined to allow 17 earned runs for a 6.35 ERA.  They allowed 34 hits and 7 walks, and fanned 21 batters.

Next:

9/9 Tuesday – GAME ONE of the Eastern League Championship Series.

Binghamton Mets @ RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRRELS

Tyler Pill is presently penciled in to start for Binghamton vs. TBD