Binghamton Rumble Ponies (5-4), 2nd Eastern Division, 2.0 GB (New York Mets)		Erie SeaWolves (7-4), 2nd Western Division, 4.0 GB (Detroit Tigers)
	Friday, April 19, 2019 • 6:05 PM UPMC Park • Erie, PA RHP Ryder Ryan (0-0, 2.70) vs. RHP Spenser Watkins (1-0, 6.75) Broadcast: NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF, MiLB.TV

PREVIEW: Following their fourth straight series-opening victory, the Rumble Ponies continue their first visit of the season to Erie.

BINGHAMTON STARTER: RHP Ryder Ryan comes out of the bullpen to make his first spot-start of the season. Ryan fills the vacancy left by starter Chris Mazza’s promotion to Syracuse on Wednesday. In four professional seasons, Ryan has made 101 appearances. Tonight marks his first career start.

NEW TO PITCHING: Ryan spent two seasons at the University of North Carolina as a reserve infielder. He appeared as a pitcher in just one game in his collegiate career, pitching against Pittsburgh on March 11, 2016. He allowed all four batters he faced to reach on three walks and one hit.

GETTING PICKED: Despite his limited time on the mound in college, Ryan was selected by the Cleveland Indians as a draft-eligible sophomore in the 30^th round of the 2016 draft. The Indians had originally picked Ryan in the 40^th round in 2014 out of North Mecklenburg HS (NC), but he chose to attend UNC.

BASEBALL GENES: Ryder Ryan’s father, Sean, was a Phillies draft pick in 1990 out of Rutgers and played five professional seasons, primarily serving as a first baseman. Ryan’s uncle, Jason, enjoyed a ten-year professional career as a pitcher that included 24 games in the Majors with the Twins during the 1999 and 2000 seasons.

LEAVING ‘EM ON: The Rumble Ponies matched a season-high by stranding 12 runners on Thursday night. Binghamton has left ten or more runners on in four straight games for the first time since July 2016. Binghamton has stranded 46 runners during that span, the highest four-game total since they left 47 on in July 2018.

PLENTY OF WHIFFS: Binghamton struck out a season-high 15 times on Thursday night. It was the most team strikeouts in a nine-inning game since they fanned 15 times on May 12, 2017 against the Akron RubberDucks. Binghamton struck out 18 times in an 11-inning game against Erie on May 30, 2018 at UPMC Park.

ALL-TIME IN ERIE: The Ponies went 5-1 at UPMC Park last season and have compiled a winning record in Erie in each of the last three years. Since 1999, Binghamton has gone 64-49 on the road against Erie. Binghamton’s season-high in victories in Erie came in 2014 when they won seven times.

STREAKING PONIES: Three Ponies currently own four-game hitting streaks, good for the team lead: Barrett Barnes, Braxton Lee and Ali Sanchez.

TAKING THEIR TIME: Including their extra-inning games, the Rumble Ponies average time of game has checked in at 2:56 in their first nine games of the season. Their average nine-inning game has taken 2:45 to complete. Binghamton’s average time of game last year was 2:36.