4/28/10

Portland 2, Binghamton 0

Lefty Mike Antonini fired a season-best seven innings and allowed just two runs at chilly NYSEG Stadium Tuesday night, but Binghamton managed just two hits off Portland’s three pitchers en route to a 2-0 shutout loss. It marks the first time that the B-Mets have been shutout in 2010.

Antonini and Sea Dogs righty Ryne Miller traded scoreless frames up until the fifth inning when Portland (10-8) broke through. Lars Anderson led off the inning with a single to left on an 0-2 offering from Binghamton’s (10-9) southpaw. With two outs and Chih-Hsien Chang at the plate, Anderson took off for second and swiped the bag ahead of Luke Montz’s throw to get into scoring position. Chang drove Anderson home with a single to left, making it 1-0 Sea Dogs.

In the sixth, Antonini breezed through the first two hitters before running into Ryan Kalish. Kalish laced a 2-2 offering from the lefty over the right field wall for his fourth homer of the season. The solo shot rounded out the game’s scoring. It was the second homer that Kalish has hit off Antonini this season. He led off the bottom of the first April 21 in Portland with a solo homer off Antonini.

The lead was plenty for Miller who did not allow a hit until the sixth when Jose Coronado slapped a hit to left to lead off the inning. Miller exited after the sixth inning. Portland’s starter allowed just the one hit, walked two and struck out three on his way to his first win of 2010.

Jason Rice threw the seventh and eighth innings in scoreless fashion to segue to Sea Dogs closer Bryce Cox, who retired the side in order in the ninth to nail down the win and his second save in as many opportunities.

The loss spoiled the longest start for a B-Mets hurler this season. Antonini allowed just six hits over seven innings and failed to issue a walk. Derrick Ellison threw a scoreless eighth and Josh Stinson struck out a pair of hitters with a 1-2-3 inning to round out the night. The three did not issue any walks, marking the first time that Binghamton pitching hasn’t issued a walk in a game.

D.J. Wabick had the B-Mets second and final hit, a single in the seventh off Rice. The base knock extended Wabick’s hitting streak to seven games.

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