Ponies Knocked Off by Curve in Series Opener

Altoona, PA – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies (3-7, 38-36) dropped their fourth game in a row as they fell to the Altoona Curve 6-3 in the series opener Thursday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. Altoona (5-3, 40-35) was led by two home runs, as Jerrick Suiter hit a solo shot in the second and Robbie Glendinning drilled a two-run shot to left as part of a four-run third.

The Ponies got off to a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Luis Carpio hit a two-run single with the bases loaded. Altoona then scored five unanswered runs to take a 5-2 lead after three.  Earlier in the first, Ali Sanchez hit a single to center that extended his hit streak to 18 games. The Ponies catcher finished 2-4 with a run scored and holds the longest hitting streak in the Eastern League this season.

Andrew Church (0-2) went seven innings for a second straight start but took the loss again as he allowed 6 runs, five earned, with one walk and four strikeouts on 85 pitches. Domingo Robles (2-1) allowed 3 runs over 6 to get the win.

Barrett Barnes hit his seventh homer of the year, a solo shot in the sixth inning, and now has 36 RBI on the year, to pull the Ponies to within two. Binghamton though finished 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

The five-game series over four days continues Friday night with first pitch at 7:00 on Newsradio 1290 WNBF and on the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show starts at 6:45.

POSTGAME NOTES: The Rumble Ponies suffer their first road loss since June 9 at Hartford…Binghamton committed three errors tonight and have been charged with 11 total errors over the last four games…Binghamton lost despite outhitting Altoona 9-8.