MANCHESTER, NH – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies hung on to beat the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in the nightcap of a doubleheader after dropping the opener on a walk-off homer Sunday afternoon at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium.
Game 1 – Fisher Cats 6, Rumble Ponies 5
The Rumble Ponies flexed their collective muscles to grab an early lead against Fisher Cats starter Jon Harris. Jhoan Urena led off the second inning by blistering a homer inside the right-field foul pole. Champ Stuart kicked the lead to two with a towering homer to center in the third inning, his first longball of the season.
New Hampshire scratched back against Mickey Jannis to take the lead with single tallies in their next three turns at the plate. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. supplied a two-out RBI single in the third, Andrew Guillotte added a sacrifice fly in the fourth and the Fisher Cats grabbed the lead with another run in the fifth.
Binghamton erased the deficit with a six-single flourish in the sixth. The Rumble Ponies opened the inning with four straight against Harris. Peter Alonso tied the game with a bloop down the right-field line and Patrick Mazeika chased Harris from the game with RBI single to left. John Mora capped the rally with a run-scoring single off reliever Danny Young.
The Rumble Ponies handed their two-run advantage to closer Tyler Bashlor in the seventh, but could not contain the top of the Fisher Cats order. Jonathan Davis opened the frame with a double. Bo Bichette chased him home by lacing a two-bagger to left-center. Guerrero ended the game with a bang, crushing Bashlor’s 0-1 offering over the wall in right-center with a walk-off blast.
Bashlor (0-1) failed to record an out in the seventh and suffered his first blown save of the season. Jannis took a no-decision after allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits over six innings. He struck out eight Fisher Cats, one shy of matching his Double-A career high.
Game 2 – Rumble Ponies 10, Fisher Cats 8
The Rumble Ponies jumped on the board in a flash in the nightcap. Jeff McNeil launched Nick Tepesch’s third pitch of the game over the wall in right for a two-run shot. It was McNeil’s 12th homer of the season and fifth in the last seven games.
Vladimir Guerrero kept up his torrid pace with an RBI single in the first versus Joseph Shaw. Fisher Cats catcher Patrick Cantwell tied the game in the third, squeaking a solo homer over the right-field wall. The Fisher Cats snatched the lead with a run in the fourth.
New Hampshire’s advantage did not survive the next inning. With two in scoring position in the fifth, McNeil dumped a single into right, plating Oliver Pascual and Kevin Taylor, to put Binghamton on top by a run.
Binghamton reliever Eric Hanhold inherited two runners from Shaw in the sixth, but could not preserve the lead. Patrick Cantwell poked a double down the right-field line to plate Harold Ramirez. In the seventh, Hanhold loaded the bases, but left them full to force extras.
The Rumble Ponies pounced on reliever Zach Jackson for three runs in the eighth. With runners at the corners, John Mora skipped a run-producing groundout behind the mound. Oliver Pascual punctuated his strong Double-A debut by pulling a two-run single to right.
New Hampshire kept the see-saw battle going with three runs in the eighth. After Cantwell plated a run with a groundout against Austin McGeorge, Connor Panas launched a pinch-hit RBI double to the right-field gap. Corey Taylor took over on the mound, but uncorked a wild pitch to bring in the tying run.
Binghamton needed another three-spot in the ninth to seal the victory. McNeil, the placed runner to start the inning, scored when Bo Bichette fired wide of third on a fielder’s choice. Matt Oberste followed with a two-run homer to left. Adonis Uceta allowed a run in the ninth, but closed the door to earn the save.
The Rumble Ponies (22-20) return home to open a three-game series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels on Tuesday night at 6:35 PM. RHP Nabil Crismatt takes the mound against RHP Cory Taylor.
POSTGAME NOTES: Binghamton went 14-11 in their 24-day stretch between off days…the Rumble Ponies have split their last two doubleheaders…Kevin Taylor extended his hitting streak to 16 games with two hits in each game
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