Ponies Stumble Down Homestretch in Loss

Press Release:

PORTLAND, ME – Jantzen Witte stroked a tiebreaking triple to highlight Portland’s three-run seventh inning and the Sea Dogs came back to beat the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, 5-3, on Monday night at Hadlock Field. Tim Tebow compiled his second three-hit game of the season and drove in a pair of runs in the losing effort.

Trailing by two entering the sixth, Portland started their comeback against Nabil Crismatt. Josh Ockimey put the Sea Dogs on the board by pelting the Maine Monster with an RBI triple. Three batters later, Luke Tendler rolled an infield single past the mound against reliever David Roseboom to bring in the tying run.

Portland’s push against Binghamton’s bullpen continued in the seventh. Following a pair of singles allowed, Roseboom ceded to Joe Zanghi. Witte greeted the new reliever by depositing a triple to the right-field alley, giving Portland their first lead. Ockimey tacked on by pulling an RBI single into right.

The Rumble Ponies had a chance to erase the three-run deficit, but failed to get over the humpy. Travis Lakins, fresh off stranding two inherited runners in the seventh, left two more aboard in eighth, retiring pinch hitter Jhoan Urena to preserve Portland’s advantage. In the ninth, Josh Taylor surrendered an RBI single to Josh Allen, but bounced back to fan Joey Terdoslavich, who represented the tying run. Taylor claimed his fourth save as a Sea Dog while Lakins (1-2) collected the victory.

Binghamton’s late falter erased a strong night from Tebow. The outfielder drove in the first run of the game by floating a single to left in the second. In the fourth, he doubled the advantage with a bloop RBI single to right. Later in the inning, Tebow was picked off first, but scampered to second safely to earn his first career Double-A stolen base.

Roseboom (1-1) allowed three hits and was charged with two runs, both of which scored under Zanghi’s watch. Roseboom suffered his first blown save of the season.

Crismatt took a no-decision after striking out eight batters over 5-2/3 innings. The righty settled down after needing 48 pitches to survive his first two scoreless innings. Crismatt kept Portland off the board into the sixth before giving way to the bullpen. He allowed two runs on five hits.

POSTGAME NOTES: Tim Tebow raised his season batting average to .266 with his three-hit game…Tebow is hitting .391 (18-for-46) since June 16…Tomas Nido collected two hits and is 9-for-17 at the plate in his last four games