Gonzalez’s Dominance Highlights Twin Bill Split

BINGHAMTON, NY – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies and Portland Sea Dogs swapped 1-0 victories, splitting a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at NYSEG Stadium. Harol Gonzalez shined in the opener, fanning nine on the way to his second consecutive victory.

Game One – Rumble Ponies 1, Sea Dogs 0

Gonzalez dazzled in his second start of the season. Setting the tone with a perfect first inning, the righty retired the first seven Sea Dogs he faced and set down eleven of twelve to cruise into the fourth inning.

One start after fanning eight, Gonzalez one-upped himself against Portland. Starting with his strikeout of CJ Chatham to close the first, Gonzalez racked up nine strikeouts in five scoreless innings. He finished two strikeouts shy of a career best and amassed his highest total since he fanned nine with the Columbia Fireflies in July 2017.

Binghamton’s offense gave Gonzalez just enough against Denyi Reyes. Sam Haggerty opened the fourth with a single and swiped second base. With two outs, Will Toffey stroked a single to left to bring him in with the game’s only run.

Joe Zanghi tossed two scoreless innings of relief to earn his first career Double-A save and seal Binghamton’s first shutout win of the season. Gonzalez (2-0) allowed just two hits over five innings to earn his second straight win.

Game Two – Sea Dogs 1, Rumble Ponies 0

The Rumble Ponies could not break through against Portland starter Tanner Houck in the nightcap. The Sea Dogs righty tossed six scoreless innings, stepping around five hits and a walk on his way to the victory. Binghamton’s best threat came in the fourth, but they failed to score after Patrick Mazeika and Will Toffey opened the inning with consecutive singles.

Portland scratched out their only run of the game in the fifth off Binghamton starter Anthony Kay. Jerry Downs opened the inning by getting hit by a pitch and was bunted to second. Brett Netzer replaced him on the bases and dashed home when Nick Lovullo sent a single to left.

Kay (1-2) allowed one run on four hits and struck out seven over 5-1/3 innings in the loss. Durbin Feltman worked a scoreless seventh to collect his first save.

Binghamton (10-7) concludes their four-game series against Portland on Sunday at 2:05 PM. LHP David Peterson takes the mound against LHP Darwinzon Hernandez. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 1:50 PM and can be heard on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: Ali Sanchez had his team-best eight-game hitting streak snapped with hitless performance in the opener…Sam Haggerty is second in the Eastern League with six stolen bases