BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Stolmy Pimentel’s search for his first win of the season continued Thursday, but the way Portland Sea Dogs Manager Kevin Boles saw it, few pitchers could have succeeded with the type of support Pimentel received.

“We have to play better defense,” Boles said after consecutive infield errors fueled a five-run second inning that carried the Binghamton Mets to a 10-4 victory against the Sea Dogs. “We have to catch the ball behind him, whether it’s Pimentel or anyone else pitching.”

Pimentel fell to 0-9 and saw his earned-run average climb to 9.12.

After winning 10 games in 2009 and nine games in 2010, the 21-year-old right-hander has gone 15 starts without a win to begin this season.

He worked just 1 1/3 innings Thursday, making it six straight games that he has lasted three innings or less.

The Sea Dogs scored first on an RBI single by Tim Federowicz in the top of the first inning, but the lead did not survive the inning.

Binghamton put together three straight hits off Pimentel in the first, then had the first three batters reach to load the bases in the second.

The Sea Dogs would have traded an out for a run, but Jose Coronado’s bouncer up the line was misplayed by first baseman Reynaldo Rodriguez, allowing two runs to score and Coronado to reach.

Second baseman Matt Tejada’s error on Matt den Dekker’s grounder allowed another run to score.

Josh Satin’s second double in two innings drove in two more runs and gave Binghamton a 6-1 lead.

Dusty Ryan finished 3 for 4 for Binghamton, including a solo homer in the third and an RBI double in the fifth to help the Mets build the lead to 9-1 after six innings.

Brandon Moore (6-7) retired 15 of 16 Sea Dogs at one point before Portland rallied for two hits in each of the last three innings.

Chih-Hsien Chiang, Will Middlebrooks and Heiker Meneses had two hits each. Rodriguez drove in two runs.

Middlebrooks finished the five-game series 13 for 20 with eight runs scored and eight runs batted in, improving his batting average to .322.

“He’s showing a better feel for getting deeper into counts,” Boles said. “For a kid his age (23), he doesn’t panic when he gets to two strikes.

“He has a solid foundation. When you watch his approach and his balance, there’s a lot to like here.”

Meneses arrived in time to join the team during Tuesday’s doubleheader.

He started three straight games at shortstop, including Tuesday’s second game.

“He’s a quality defender,” Boles said. “We’re excited to have him.”

Meneses batted .277 in 51 games with Greenville of the Class A South Atlantic League. He went 3 for 9 with a walk in his first three games with the Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs won 3 of 5 in Binghamton to add a game on their lead over the last-place Mets, increasing it to 2 1/2.

 

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