Game Recap: Sea Dogs Eight-Run First Too Much to Overcome for Ponies in Series Finale

 

PORTLAND, ME – The Portland Sea Dogs (9-6) scored eight runs in the first inning en route to a 13-5 victory over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (4-10) at Hadlock Field in the series finale on Sunday afternoon. Portland took five of the six games in the series and the Ponies have dropped four in a row.

Binghamton took a 2-0 lead in the first against LHP Josh Taylor, who made the start as part an MLB rehab assignment. They got on the board via an RBI single by Ronny Mauricio and added a run on an RBI double from Luke Ritter.

In the bottom of the first, Portland loaded the bases with no out against RHP Mitch Ragan leading to a Pedro Castellanos grand slam over the high wall in left, which put the Sea Dogs up 4-2. On the next pitch, Kole Cottam belted a solo homer to left center to make it 5-2. After a Cameron Cannon single, Hudson Potts crushed a two-run homer to left center that put Portland on top 7-2. After retiring the next two batters, Ragan was taken out for right-handed reliever Justin Lasko.

The first batter Lasko faced was Christian Koss, who hit an opposite-field solo homer to make it 8-2. Koss would finish the game 4-5 with three runs scored and two RBI.

The Ponies got to within 8-4 on a solo homer from Manny Rodriguez and an RBI double from Matt Winaker but would not get any closer as a four-run fifth put the Sea Dogs up by eight runs.

Ragan (0-1) takes the loss allowing five hits and seven runs over two thirds of an inning. Portland LHP Jay Groome (1-0) earned the win starting his outing in the second inning and allowing four hits and two runs over four.

The Rumble Ponies are off on Monday and open up a six-game series with the Erie Seawolves at Mirabito Stadium on Tuesday night. First pitch is at 6:35 PM with pregame coverage beginning at 6:20 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF and 92.1 FM.

Postgame Notes: Ritter has three RBI over his last two games…Rodriguez hit his second homer of the year, both coming in this series…Winaker reached base three times and has driven in a run in two of his last three games.