Saturday, September 1, 2018

PONIES WIN CLOSE ONE FROM SEA DOGS 7-6

Ponies Wrestle See-Saw Contest From Sea Dogs
BINGHAMTON, NY –  Binghamton prevailed Saturday night at NYSEG Stadium, squeaking past Portland, 7-6, in 11 innings. In game that featured 30 combined hits, four ties, and four lead changes, the Rumble Ponies two-run 11th inning propelled them to their sixth walk-off win of the season. Saturday’s game marked the first extra-inning game at NYSEG Stadium in the 2018 season. 
Trailing 6-5 headed to the bottom of the eleventh, the Rumble Ponies tied the game with just two batters. Will Toffey was placed on second base to begin the frame and was moved the third base on Patrick Mazeik’s groundout. Sea Dogs reliever Adam Lau launched a wild pitch, allowing Toffey to score from third, tying the game 6-6. The inning continued with Jhaon Urena’s fifth single of the night. After Andres Gimenez was hit by a pitch, it put two aboard with two outs for Oliver Pascual. Playing in just his fifth Double-A game, Binghamton’s second baseman singled into left-center field, winning the game 7-6.
Free baseball in Binghamton couldn’t have happened without the Ponies ninth-inning tally. Patrick Mazeika doubled off the first base bag and was brought in by Urena’s single, tying the game 5-5. 
Binghamton had already led twice when the Sea Dogs swiped the lead with a three-run sixth inning. After plating one run in the fifth inning, the Rumble Ponies entered the frame ahead 2-1 with starter Mickey Jannis toeing the rubber. The knuckleballer retired Esteban Quiroz to begin the inning, but that would prove to be Jannis’ final out. A one-out walk to Jantzen Witte spelt the end of the night for Jannis; he was replaced by Adam Atkins. In his NYSEG Stadium debut, Atkins was greeted by a Bobby Dalbec triple, tying the game 2-2. After a walk to Luke Tendler put runners on the corners, Atkins’ wild pitch pushed Dalbec home and Tendler to second, earning Portland their first lead, 3-2. A throwing error by Will Toffey forced Tendler home, pushing the Portland lead to 4-2. The Sea Dogs sent eight batters to the plate in the three-run sixth.
Jannis gave up two earned runs over his 5-1/3 innings. He struck out three and walked one in his franchise-leading 69th start of his Binghamton career. 
The Rumble Ponies twice cut it to a one-run game, but failed to tie it until the ninth inning. In the bottom half of the sixth, back-to-back hits from Andrew Ely and Gene Cone put the Ponies in position to tie the game. Oliver Pascual’s sacrifice bunt pushed the pair into scoring position for Ian Strom. While Strom failed to record a hit, his groundout scored Ely for a 4-3 game.
Trailing 5-3 in the seventh, Binghamton again plated one run to close the gap. Will Toffey, Patrick Mazeika, and Jhoan Urena strung together three consecutive hits, cutting it to a 5-4 game. Toffey singled and Mazeika doubled, before Urena’s softly-hit groundball squeaked into right field to plate Toffey. 
Stephen Villines preserved Binghamton’s one-run deficit by tossing a scoreless seventh and eighth inning. He struck out three Sea Dogs and walked none. 
Matt Pobereyko (1-0) picked up his first Double-A win despite allowing a run in his lone inning.
Lau (0-4) allowed three runs in his 2-2/3 innings, including the winning run in the 11th.
Binghamton (63-74) and Portland continue the final series of the season on Saturday. RHP Mickey Jannis goes for the Rumble Ponies against Sea Dogs southpaw Daniel McGrath. First pitch at NYSEG Stadium is scheduled for 6:05 PM. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 5:50 PM and can be heard on NewsRadio 1290 WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.
POSTGAME NOTES: Jhoan Urena provided Binghamton with their second five-hit performance this season (5-for-6, 5 1B)…Rumble Ponies sixth walk-off win of the season…Jhoan Urena celebrated his 24th birthday…Binghamton stranded 17 runners

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