CURVE DEFEAT PONIES 8-6

Luplow’s Long Ball Pushes Curve Past Ponies, 8-6

BINGHAMTON, NY – The Altoona Curve edged the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, 8-6, Wednesday night at NYSEG Stadium. Jordan Luplow’s pinch-hit ninth-inning home run proved to be the game-winning hit, one of 13 for Altoona. Curve Pitcher Austin Coley was the only one of 11 Curve batters not to record a hit.

Tied 6-6 heading to the ninth inning, Rumble Ponies manager Luis Rojas summoned Tim Peterson from the bullpen as Binghamton’s third reliever of the night. After allowing a leadoff single to Elvis Escobar, Peterson coughed up a two-run home run to Jordan Luplow, giving the Curve an 8-6 advantage. The runs were the first allowed by Peterson in 12.2 innings this season.

The Rumble Ponies were first on the board for the second straight night, scoring three second-inning runs. Jio Mier brought home the first run on a sacrifice fly, before Mickey Jannis and Champ Stuart collected RBI singles. Jannis’ hit was the third in his professional career and his second RBI.

The Curve countered with three tallies in the fourth inning after their first five batters recorded hits. Edwin Espinal singled home Kevin Kramer, before Connor Joe’s triple brought in Espinal. Wyatt Matheson tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI double.

After tossing six innings of three-run baseball, Jannis was yanked for reliever Cory Burns. Burns faced four batters in the top of the seventh inning and allowed three earned runs without recording an out.

The Rumble Ponies responded, though, in the bottom half of the seventh. After a Colton Plaia single, L.J. Mazzilli delivered a two-run home run over the right-center field wall. It was Mazzilli’s first at-bat with Binghamton after a 16-game stint with Triple-A Las Vegas. Later in the inning, Kevin Taylor singled to bring home Luis Guillorme, tying the game 6-6.

Buddy Borden (1-0) worked into and out of trouble in the eighth inning after allowing the first two Rumble Ponies on base. He followed by retiring the next three Binghamton hitters to keep the game tied.

Kyle Regnault hurled two scoreless innings out of the bullpen, allowing just one hit while striking out one.

Tim Peterson (1-1) set aside the next three batters after allowing the Luplow pinch-hit two run blast.

The Rumble Ponies (19-14) conclude their three-game set against Altoona Thursday at 10:35 AM. LHP P.J. Conlon takes the hill against Curve RHP Yeudy Garcia. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting at 10:20 AM on CBS Sports Radio 1360 WYOS and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.
POSTGAME NOTES: Tim Peterson’s scoreless innings streak ends at 12.2 (10 appearances)…Kevin Taylor was tossed in the 9^th inning by home plate umpire Erich Bacchus…Binghamton’s error was their first in the last 39 innings…