BINGHAMTON, NY – The Binghamton Mets received 5-1/3 scoreless innings from Major League rehabber Steven Matz, but coughed up a two-run lead in a 6-2 loss against the Reading Fightin Phils on Monday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. Reading plated a half-dozen runs in the seventh and eighth off the Binghamton bullpen to earn the comeback victory and clinch a postseason berth. Matz allowed one hit, walked two and struck out four while throwing 78 pitches in the no-decision.


Given a two-run lead entering the seventh, Adam Kolarek fell into trouble immediately, allowing the first three he faced to reach on a walk and two singles. Brodie Greene cut Binghamton’s lead to one and ended Kolarek’s night by slashing an RBI single into left.


Jon Velasquez coaxed a fielder’s choice out of Harold Martinez before KC Serna lifted a fly ball to right-center. Jonathan Galvez made a diving catch, but Angelo Mora tagged and scored from third to tie the game.


Following a wild pitch to advance the runners, JP Crawford deposited a tiebreaking double inside the foul line in the left-field corner pushing Reading ahead by two. Dylan Cozens doubled the lead with a two-run homer in the eighth.


Reading unloaded on offense after being kept in check by Matz. The southpaw worked around Serna’s leadoff single in the first to post a scoreless inning. Matz needed 22 pitches to step around a one-out walk in a blank second inning. The Long Islander threw 19 pitches to get past a leadoff free pass in a shutout third.


Matz enjoyed a smoother sail to close his second rehab outing with Binghamton. He struck out one in a perfect fourth, tossed a 1-2-3 fifth and ended his night by retiring Jake Thompson to open the sixth. Erik Goeddel took over and worked around a double and walk to close another scoreless inning.


Binghamton plated both of their runs in the fourth off Jake Thompson. Following back-to-back singles to start the inning, Brock Peterson laced an RBI single to center. Joe Benson doubled the lead with a sacrifice fly to center.


Kolarek (2-4) allowed four runs on three hits without recording an out in his second loss in as many games. Velasquez suffered his second blown save.


Thompson (4-1) allowed two runs on eight hits over seven innings and picked up the win thanks to Reading’s four-run seventh. Ryan O’Sullivan tossed two perfect innings for his fourth save.


The B-Mets (73-61) continue their battle against the first-place Fightin Phils on Tuesday night at 6:35 PM. RHP Gabriel Ynoa takes the mound against RHP Ben Lively. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting at 6:20 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF and the Binghamton Mets channel on TuneIn.


POSTGAME NOTES: Reading can clinch the regular season division title with another victory over the B-Mets…Trenton lost, 4-1, to New Britain, dropping Binghamton’s magic number to four…TJ Rivera extended his hitting streak to 11 games with his third-straight two-hit game


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(Courtesy: Binghamton Mets Baseball)