PORTLAND, Maine — The Portland Sea Dogs led early, gave up five runs over the final four innings, but bounced back with two in the ninth for a 6-5 Double-A baseball victory over the Binghamton Mets Thursday night in the finale of the six-game series at Hadlock Field.
The win brought the Sea Dogs record to 8-1 on the nine-game homestand.
Mickey Pena held the B-Mets scoreless over the first five innings before they bounced back to within one in the sixth. Kyle Johnson singled with one out and came around to score on a two-run shot, over the Maine Monster, off the bat of Kevin Plawecki.
Pena was sent back out for the seventh and the Mets loaded the bases against the lefty before he was lifted for Miguel Celestino. The righty came on and gave up a two-run single to Wilfredo Tovar, which gave a 4-3 lead to Binghamton.
The Portland deficit didn’t last long as Peter Hissey led of the bottom of the frame with a triple down the line in right. With one out Mookie Betts drew his fourth walk of the night and Derrik Gibson singled to short, which plated Hissey and tied the game.
The seesaw battle continued in the eighth as the Mets plated another against Miguel Celestino and regained the lead at 5-4. Jayce Boyd doubled with one out and was lifted for the pinch runner Rylan Sandoval. Dustin Lawley drove home Sandoval with an RBI single to shallow right for the lead.
Portland had no answer in the eighth, but rallied in final inning. Hissey walked to lead off the inning and Shannon Wilkerson reached on a bunt single, which put the winning run at first for Betts. The second baseman took a 94 mph fastball from Cody Satterwhite (2-1) to the right field corner for a bases-clearing, walk-off triple that sent the 3,035 fans in attendance home happy.
Aaron Kurcz (1-1) was the benefactor for the Sea Dogs and earned the win on the mound with a scoreless ninth.