From Mirror reports
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - The Curve were just six outs away from .500 Tuesday, but couldn't close the deal.
Altoona carried a one-run lead into the bottom of the eighth inning, but Binghamton loaded the bases and scored twice in the frame to take the lead and ultimately clip the Curve, 3-2, at NYSEG Stadium.
The loss ended the Curve's five-game winning streak and set them back to 40-42 on the season. A victory would have pushed their record to .500 for the first time since April 16 when they were 5-5.
Binghamton had only one hit which led to its two eighth-inning runs, but before getting an out, reliever Jeff Inman walked two batters in addition to allowing a single to Allan Dykstra.
With the bases full, the next two batters for the B-Mets each hit groundballs up the middle. The Curve recorded force outs at second base on both, but didn't turn a double play on either. Both groundballs brought a run home, and the second one - off the bat of Francisco Pena - turned out to bring home the game-winning run.
Both of the runs were charged to Inman (1-2), who was charged with a blown save in addition to the loss. Brandon Cumpton was the starter for the Curve and worked around four walks to allow only one run on four hits in five innings.
During Altoona's streak of five straight victories, its offense averaged 7.2 runs per game, but runs and hits were tough to come by against B-Mets starter Darin Gorski and their bullpen.
Just two batters in the Curve's starting lineup had hits, and they had just four in total - none for extra bases. Leadoff man Robbie Grossman had three of those hits, raising his season averaging to .254.
All the damage the Curve were able to do offensively came in the fourth inning.
Grossman led off the inning with a single, which was followed by a Jarek Cunningham walk, and they both came around to score in the frame to give Altoona a 2-0 lead. The team had a chance for more runs, but Stefan Welch struck out with Cunningham on second base to end the inning - it was the only official at-bat the Curve had with a runner in scoring position.
The B-Mets bullpen combined to allow just one hit in three scoreless innings. Adrian Rosario (1-1) was on the mound in the eighth inning and got the win, while Robert Carson closed the door in the ninth for his seventh save.
Game recap
Key player: B-Mets RF Dustin Martin was 2-for-4 with an RBI and also scored a run.
Key play: Binghamton C Francisco Pena drove in what proved to be the game-winning run with a groundout in the eighth inning.
Key stat: The Curve's record has not been .500 or better since April 16.
SUBHD: How they scored
Top 4th: Grossman singled, scored on Gorski wild pitch (1-0); Cunningham walked, scored on Cabrera sacrifice fly (2-0).
Bottom 4th: Martin singled, scored on Tovar double (2-1).
Bottom 8th: Campbell walked, scored on Martin groundout (2-2); Dykstra singled, scored on Pena groundout (2-3).
