BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – It was a similar beginning with a much more favorable ending for the Portland Sea Dogs.

For the second consecutive night, the Sea Dogs put up seven runs against Binghamton’s starting pitcher in the first three innings. And for the second consecutive night, the Mets stormed back.

But this time, the Sea Dogs landed a counterpunch when Ryan Lavarnway hit a two-run home run in the 10th inning Wednesday night to help Portland to an 11-9 victory at NYSEG Stadium.

“It just took a few more runs than we thought it would,” said Sea Dogs Manager Arnie Beyeler. “It’s a good win. It’s good to come back.”

Ray Chang was 4 for 6 with two RBI, one on a home run and one on a single in Portland’s five-run second inning.

Lavarnway capped the scoring in that inning with a two-run double to right field, giving the Sea Dogs a 7-0 lead.

But the Mets rallied just as they did Tuesday night, when they scored 10 of the game’s final 11 runs to win.

Mets catcher Salomon Manriquez singled home the first run in the bottom of the second, then made the score 7-5 with a two-run double in the third.

Sea Dogs starter Stephen Fife settled down from there, tossing three scoreless innings to wrap up his night after six innings.

He got a little help from his defense in the fifth.

Zach Lutz drew a two-out walk, then tried to score on Josh Satin’s double to the gap in right-center. But right fielder Chih-Hsien Chiang hit cutoff man Nate Spears, who wheeled a perfect relay to catcher Luis Exposito for the inning-ending tag.

Chang and Anthony Rizzo then hit home runs in the sixth to give the Sea Dogs a 9-5 lead.

Those runs came in handy when Lutz led off the bottom of the eighth with a home run and, after the Sea Dogs called on reliever Jason Rice, pinch-hitter Sean Ratliff tied the game with a three-run homer to left-center.

That set the stage for Lavarnway, who drove in four runs to up his RBI total to 84 between Double-A Portland and Class A Salem.

Rice ended up with the win, his second, retiring eight straight to end the game.

The Sea Dogs had 16 hits, including two by Chiang that extended his hitting streak to 11 games, the longest for the Sea Dogs this season.

Portland opened the scoring in bizarre fashion in the first inning.

With runners at first and third and two outs, Rizzo checked his swing as a pitch headed toward him and inadvertently hit the ball about 15 feet.

Pitcher Mark Cohoon fielded the ball and could have walked to first to record the out as a confused Rizzo stayed in the batter’s box.

Instead, Cohoon uncorked a throw over first baseman Nick Evans, allowing both runners to score while Rizzo recovered and advanced to second base.

 

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