PORTLAND, Maine — Binghamton overcame an early deficit, scoring 10 runs in the fifth and sixth innings en route to an 11-4 victory over Portland in Game 4 of the Eastern League Division Championship Series on Saturday at Hadlock Field.
The decisive Game 5 is set for Sunday at 1 p.m.
Portland held the 2-1 lead after four innings, but it all came crumbling down over the fifth and sixth innings against Mike Augliera and the Portland bullpen.
The first four in the fifth reached and three scored, giving Binghamton the 4-2 lead. Wilfredo Tovar began the inning with a single, Brandon Nimmo was next with a double, and T.J. Rivera plated the first run with a game-tying RBI single.
Augliera (0-1) finished his outing with a walk to Brian Burgamy, which loaded the bases and brought on Mike McCarthy out of the bullpen. He retired the first man he faced, but walked Darrell Ceciliani with the bases loaded and Binghamton took the 3-2 lead. A wild pitch brought home another run to cap off the inning, giving Binghamton the 4-2 lead.
In the sixth, the visitors’ first six men reached and seven scored in the inning, making it 11-2 Mets. Burgamy worked a walk with the bases loaded for the first run and McCarthy’s afternoon was over.
Pete Ruiz took over and walked the first man he faced, bringing home another run and the Mets increased their lead to 6-2. Ceciliani kept the rally going with a two-run double down the line in right, Tovar drove home two with a single to left, and Xorge Carrillo scored on a wild pitch for the seventh and final run.
The Sea Dogs plated their final two runs on one swing, a David Chester two-run blast to right-center and pulled the ‘Dogs to within seven at 11-4, but they could do no more damage.
The game began in the favor of Portland as they plated a run in the first against Binghamton’s Rainy Lara. Mike Miller singled and Sean Coyle doubled in front of Keury De La Cruz. The left fielder grounded to first, but Burgamy’s throw home was late, Miller scored and Portland held the 1-0 lead.
Two innings later, Binghamton tied the game on an RBI single by Burgamy, but Portland again pulled ahead in the fourth, courtesy of a Carson Blair home run, but the was all before the Mets’ deluge of runs.
Augliera took the loss, working four-plus innings, allowing four runs on eight hits; he walked one and struck out one as well. McCarthy and Ruiz combined to give up seven runs over two full innings on the hill. The brightest spot on the mound for Portland was righty Madison Younginer, who made his first appearance in Double-A and tossed three scoreless to round out the game.
Lara (1-0) took home the win, finishing six innings and allowing just two runs on five hits, one walk and two strikeouts. Jon Velasquez and Randy Fontanez pitched the final three and allowed just the one run.