PONIES WIN DOUBLE HEADER

Ponies “Con”trol Squirrels “Hand”ily in Sweep

RICHMOND, VA – PJ Conlon and Donovan Hand each tossed shutouts to lead the Binghamton Rumble Ponies to a doubleheader sweep of the Richmond Flying Squirrels on Wednesday night at The Diamond. The Ponies took the opener, 1-0, before they snagged the rain-shortened nightcap, 5-0, earning shutout victories in both ends of a doubleheader for the first time since 2000. Major League rehabber Asdrubal Cabrera combined to go 2-for-5 at the plate and played ten total defense innings at shortstop.
Game One – Binghamton 1, Richmond 0
After stranding a pair of runners in the first, PJ Conlon started an impressive roll by getting Myles Schroder to line out to short with two runners aboard in the second. The putout opened a stretch of 16 straight batters retired by the southpaw. Conlon threw seventeen pitches or fewer in each of his final five perfect innings. He struck out three and went to a three-ball count on only two batters.
To support Conlon, the Ponies pushed their only run across with a flourish in the fourth. Tomas Nido started the rally, and gave Binghamton their first hit, by pelting the center-field wall with a double. Kevin Taylor followed with a single and Kevin Kaczmarski put the Ponies on the board by floating an RBI single to center.
Playing in his first game with the Rumble Ponies on Major League rehab, Asdrubal Cabrera went 1-for-3 at the plate. He flied out in his first two at-bats hitting left-handed before lining a single to right-field as a right-handed hitter. Cabrera played the entire game at shortstop and committed one error.
Conlon (5-2) allowed three hits over seven innings to earn his third win, and second complete game, in four starts.
Sam Coonrod (1-5) allowed one run on four hits over five innings and suffered his fifth loss in six games.
Game Two – Binghamton 5, Richmond 0
Donovan Hand faced three over the minimum over six innings to guide the Rumble Ponies to the victory in the nightcap. The righty never threw more than 15 pitches in any inning and compiled four perfect frames to earn his second win on the road trip.
Hand’s biggest scare arrived in the fourth when Richmond put runners at the corners. Dylan Davis hit a long fly to right-center that Champ Stuart tracked down to end the threat.
Asdrubal Cabrera singled to right field hitting left-handed in the fourth and was pinch-run for by Jio Mier according to plan.
After being kept in check for four innings by spot-starter Jose Flores, the Ponies came alive in the fifth against Collin Balester. David Thompson roped an RBI double to the left-field alley, plating LJ Mazzilli from first base. Binghamton tacked on two more thanks to a bunt from Hand and a wild pitch. Mier capped the Ponies offense with a solo homer in the seventh, his second long ball of the season.
Play was halted in the top of the seventh inning due to rain, and the game was called after a 40-minute delay.
Hand (3-1) allowed two hits and struck out two over six innings in Binghamton’s third complete game of the season.
The Rumble Ponies (25-15) conclude their only visit to Richmond on Thursday night at 6:35 PM. RHP Corey Oswalt takes the mound against RHP Cory Taylor. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting at 6:20 PM on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.
POSTGAME NOTES: Binghamton last won both ends of a doubleheader with shutouts on July 15, 2000 against the Akron Aeros…Binghamton won consecutive games via shutout for the first time since April 10 & 11, 2015 when they beat the Aeros…the Rumble Ponies are off to their best 40-game start to the season since 1994 (28-12)
Tickets for Binghamton’s entire home schedule can be purchased at the NYSEG Stadium box office, online on www.bingrp.com and over the phone at (607) 722-FUNN.