PONIES COMPLETE SWEEP

Ponies Complete Sweep with “Berst” of Offense, 6-3

RICHMOND, VA – Matt Oberste supplied three run-producing hits to guide the Binghamton Rumble Ponies to a sweep-clinching 6-3 win over the Richmond Flying Squirrels on Thursday night at The Diamond. The Ponies earned their fifth straight victory and completed their first four-game series sweep since July 2015.
Hitting seventh in the lineup for the first time at Double-A, Oberste opened his big night at the plate with a two-out RBI single in the second. The Ponies’ first baseman struck with another two-out run-producing single to put Binghamton ahead in the fourth.
After Slade Heathcott tied the game with a solo blast in the fourth, Binghamton grabbed the lead for good with two runs in the fifth. Patrick Biondi stole second and third before Luis Guillorme brought him in with a single to center. Tomas Nido added to the lead with an RBI double to the center-field wall.
Oberste capped his three-hit game with his biggest blast. The first baseman launched a 1-0 pitch from Cory Taylor into the right-field alley for a double and plated LJ Mazzilli from first base. Guillorme added an RBI single later in the inning to seal Binghamton’s offense.
The offensive push from Oberste and the Ponies aided Corey Oswalt (4-3) to his first win since May 3. The right-hander scattered a season-high nine hits over 6-2/3 innings and allowed three runs (two earned). He issued no walks and struck out six, including four during a five-batter span from the fifth into the seventh.
Corey Taylor nabbed the final out of the seventh before working a perfect eighth. In the ninth, Tim Peterson recorded the first two outs before Eliezer Zambrano hit a long drive off the right-field wall. He sped to third when it caromed into right-center and scampered towards the plate when Patrick Biondi’s throw eluded the cutoff man. Oberste scooped up the loose ball and nabbed Zambrano at the plate to end the game. Peterson earned his second save and extended the bullpen’s scoreless streak to 10-1/3 innings.
Richmond starter, the other Cory Taylor (2-4), allowed six runs on six hits over five innings in the loss.
The Rumble Ponies (26-15) return home and open a four-game series against the Hartford Yards Goats on Friday at 7:05 PM. RHP Casey Delgado gets the ball for Binghamton against RHP Luis Niebla. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting at 6:50 PM on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.
POSTGAME NOTES: Binghamton went 6-1 on the road trip and improved to 13-3 in their last 16 road games…the Rumble Ponies are a season-best 11 games over .500…the Rumble Ponies have won 10 of their first 14 series...Binghamton’s last four-game sweep game against the Portland Sea Dogs (July 10-13, 2015)
Tickets for Binghamton’s entire home schedule can be purchased at the NYSEG Stadium box office, online on www.bingrp.com and over the phone at (607) 722-FUNN.