Gibbons Guides Rumble Ponies Past Fisher Cats

BINGHAMTON, NY – Rumble Ponies starter Mike Gibbons matched a career-high with eight strikeouts to lead Binghamton to a 4-1 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on a chilly Monday night at NYSEG Stadium. His battery mate, Patrick Mazeika, delivered a go-ahead two-run double in the third to send the Ponies to their second straight win.

Gibbons fought through the bitter first-pitch temperature of 39 degrees to strike out the first two Fisher Cats he faced before surrendering back-to-back doubles. Kevin Smith’s run-scoring two-bagger put New Hampshire on top, but proved to be the only blemish on Gibbons’ tab.

The righty from Connecticut fanned Chad Spanberger to end the first-inning threat, stranded two more in the second and stepped around a pair of singles in the third. Gibbons finished his night with a flourish, setting down the final eight Fisher Cats he faced.

The Rumble Ponies grabbed the lead for Gibbons with a three-spot in the third inning. With runners at the corners, Sam Haggerty stroked a first-pitch single to left to plate Mike Paez. Two batters later, Mazeika deposited a two-out, two-out double into the right-field rally. Barret Barnes extended the lead with an RBI double in the fifth.

Joe Zanghi took over from Gibbons and posted a perfect sixth. New Hampshire filled the bases in the seventh, but Zanghi coaxed an inning-ending double play ball out of Josh Palacios to kill the rally. Stephen Villines tossed to perfect innings to collect his second save.

Gibbons (1-0) allowed one run on five hits over five innings to collect the victory. His eight strikeouts were the most in a game since he fanned that many Jupiter Hammerheads on August 7, 2018 while pitching for the St. Lucie Mets (High-A).

Fisher Cats starter Patrick Murphy (0-2) allowed four runs over 4-1/3 innings in the loss.

The Rumble Ponies (4-2) continue their three-game set against the Fisher Cats on Tuesday at 6:35 PM. LHP Anthony Kay takes the mound against RHP Hector Perez. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 6:20 PM and can be heard on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: Barrett Barnes has collected at least one RBI in four of his five games played with the Rumble Ponies…Joe Zanghi has recorded the final out in seven innings and stranded a total of 13 runners this season…Binghamton is 3-0 in series opening games