PORTLAND — Derrik Gibson was front-and-center in a game that featured lots of opportunities to emerge as the hero.

Gibson, the Sea Dogs’ shortstop, broke open a tight contest in the sixth inning when he stroked a two-run double to help lift Portland to a 5-3 victory over the Binghamton Mets in front of 4,002 at Hadlock Field Saturday afternoon.

Gibson capitalized on three straight walks by Binghamton reliever Kevin Mulvey to open the sixth. Jonathan Hee was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first on Gibson’s double, but Vitek followed with a single to drive in Gibson and help Portland to its second straight win.

“It’s good to win,” said Gibson, Boston’s second-round pick in the 2008 draft. “You can relax a little bit. I think when you are on a little bit of a losing streak you white-knuckle it a little bit in the batter’s box sometimes. I think we’re relaxing and we’re not afraid to make mistakes out there right now.”

Gibson was off to a slow start. He missed the first six games after having his wisdom teeth extracted. But he was all smiles after the game, confident that his performance was a sign of more good things to come.

“In spring training I was right where I wanted to be,” Gibson said. “I was ready to start the season. Now I feel like I’m slowly but surely getting back there and I felt like today was a good representation.”

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Gibson’s double down the third-base-line was one of only a few successful hits with runners in scoring position. Portland, which left the bases loaded in the fifth and seventh innings, was 4 for 17 with runners in scoring position.

Binghamton loaded the bases in the ninth without success and was 3 for 12 with runners in scoring position.

“It was another tight game,” said Portland Manager Kevin Boles. “I thought the pitchers dialed it up when the bases were loaded. There were a lot of opportunities out there for both clubs.”

Will Latimer (1-0) earned the victory for the Sea Dogs. He went two innings in relief of starter Billy Buckner and allowed one hit. Josh Fields, who got out of his own bases-loaded jam in the ninth, collected his first save, pitching two innings with four strikeouts.

Bryce Brentz and Oscar Tejeda hit RBI doubles in the fourth to give the Sea Dogs a 2-0 lead.

Sean Kazmar tied it with a two-run double in the fifth for the Mets. Oswaldo Navarro added an RBI single in the eighth to allow Binghamton to close to 5-3.

NOTES: The Sea Dogs placed outfielder Peter Hissey on the disabled list after he was hit in the hand by a pitch Friday. Outfielder Ronald Bermudez was activated off the DL.

 


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