5/15/19

Altoona 9 - Binghamton 8



Binghamton, NY – In front of 6,968 excited students and teachers on “Baseball in Education” Day at NYSEG Stadium, the Rumble Ponies (21-13) fell short 9-8 to the Altoona Curve (19-19) on Wednesday morning. With 45 different schools represented, Altoona avoided being swept by the Ponies, who finish their 5-game homestand 2-3.

Ponies first basemen Patrick Mazeika did finish 3-4, drilling a 3-run homer with a career-high 6 RBI. Mazeika’s 3-run homer capped off a five-run first inning that gave the Ponies a 5-0 lead after one, and an RBI single that gave the Ponies a 6-2 advantage after two. His two-run double in the ninth pulled the Ponies to within one in the ninth. Over the last four games Mazeika is 7-15, with 3 HR (his first three of the year) and 14 RBI. He has also extended his team-high hitting streak to fourteen games.

Altoona after falling behind early, used three home runs to get back in the game. Jason Delay hit a two-run homer off Ponies starter Harol Gonzalez in the second, and Logan Hill and Hunter Owen hit back-to-back solo homers in the sixth to cut the Ponies lead to 6-4. In the seventh, the Curve scored three off of the Binghamton bullpen highlighted by a 2-run single from Hill to put Altoona up 7-6. Down 9-6 in the ninth, the Ponies made a furious rally and down by one, had the bases loaded with one out, before Mike Paez hit into a game-ending double play.

Binghamton hits the road for seven games, beginning a four-game series tomorrow night in Trenton against the Thunder.

POSTGAME NOTES: The Ponies are still a half-game ahead of the Thunder in the Eastern Division as Trenton fell to the Senators 5-0 in Harrisburg Wednesday…Harol Gonzalez made his first start since pitching a combined no-hitter last week, allowing four runs over six in a no-decision…Altoona left fielder Logan Hill finished 3-4, with 3 RBI, including a solo homer in the sixth and the go-ahead two-run single in the seventh.

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