GAME RECAP - Portland 4, Binghamton 3

PORTLAND, ME – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies (4-9) fell to the Portland Sea Dogs 4-3 Saturday afternoon at Hadlock Field, as Portland has taken four of the first five games in the series. Three of the five games have been decided by one run as Binghamton dropped their third in a row.

Portland struck first with two in the first off Alec Kisena on a two-run double from Pedro Castellanos. They added a run in the third on a leadoff solo home run from David Hamilton. Meanwhile, Portland starter Brayan Bello (2-1) retired the first ten batters he faced.

With one out in the fourth, the Ponies got their first baserunner as Francisco Alvarez walked. The next batter Brett Baty lined a sharp single to right for the Ponies first hit. Two batters later, Luke Ritter hit a two out, two-run double off the right center field wall plating Alvarez and Baty.

It would remain a one-run game till the bottom of the seventh when the Sea Dogs loaded the bases against Yeizo Campos with one out. Portland (8-6) 1B Pedro Castellanos hit a fly ball to center scoring Tyler Dearden on a sacrifice fly to put Portland up 4-2.

Binghamton responded again in the eighth as Ronny Mauricio drilled a two out solo homer, his second of the year, off the video board in left center field to pull the Ponies to within 4-3. Sea Dogs RHP Andrew Politi retired the side in order in the ninth to earn his first save of the season.

Bello allowed four hits and two runs over five and a third innings to get the win. Kisena (1-1) took the loss allowing five hits and three runs over four and two thirds frames. Portland reliever Joan Martinez also pitched two scoreless innings with no walks and four strikeouts.

The two teams will play the final game of the six-game set on Sunday afternoon with first pitch at 1:00 PM and pregame coverage starting at 12:45 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF, 92.1FM, and MiLB.com

Postgame Notes: Ritter was 2-4 with 2 RBI…Baty finished 2-4 with a run scored…the Ponies are now 0-4 in one-run games.