RUMBLE PONIES WIN 8-3

Oswalt & Decker Lead Charge in Opener, 8-3

ERIE, PA – Corey Oswalt fired seven innings of one-run ball and Cody Decker supplied a four-RBI performance in the Binghamton Rumble Ponies’ 8-3 win over the Erie SeaWolves on Friday night at UPMC Park. The Rumble Ponies busted out a dozen hits to grab the series opener.
Binghamton turned a one-run lead into a sizable six-run advantage with a two-out onslaught against Erie starter Artie Lewicki in the fifth. David Thompson’s RBI single to center was the first of five straight two-out hits by Binghamton. Matt Oberste added a run-scoring single to right before Decker launched a three-run homer, his first as a Rumble Pony, to right field.
Oswalt sailed through his first five innings, needing just 45 pitches to retire 14 of the first 16 SeaWolves hitters he faced. Erie loaded the bases in the sixth, but Kevin Kaczmarski diffused the rally by leaping to snag Mike Gerber’s liner to right-field.
Before their power surge in the fifth, the Rumble Ponies had cracked the scoreboard without hitting a ball out of the infield in the third. Champ Stuart reached on a bunt and swiped two bases before Thompson dribbled an RBI single up the first-base line.
Oswalt (1-2) went a season-best seven innings to earn his first career Double-A victory. The righty allowed just one run on three hits and struck out four. Erie pushed their only run across against Oswalt in the seventh.
Kyle Regnault struck out three in the eighth and Ben Griset pitched the ninth to guide Binghamton to their third-straight series-opening victory.
Lewicki (1-1) allowed six runs on eight hits over 4-2/3 innings in the loss.
The Rumble Ponies (6-6) continue their three-game visit to Erie on Saturday afternoon at 4:05 PM. RHP Casey Delgado takes the mound for Binghamton against LHP Matt Crouse. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting a 3:50 PM on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.
POSTGAME NOTES: Cody Decker’s three-run homer in the fifth inning was his 174^th career home run…four Rumble Ponies registered multiple-hit games…Kevin Kaczmarski hit a triple in the seventh, the team’s first three-bagger of the season
Rumble Ponies fans can purchase tickets for any remaining home game at the NYSEG Stadium box office, online www.bingrp.com and over the phone at (607) 722-FUNN.