PONIES SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER

Chris ‘Flexen’ Muscles in Doubleheader Split

BINGHAMTON, NY – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies split a doubleheader against the Richmond Flying Squirrels on Wednesday night at NYSEG Stadium. In his first Double-A start, Chris Flexen tossed a complete game shutout to lead the Ponies to a 3-0 victory in the nightcap after the Ponies dropped the opener by an 8-2 final.

Game One – Richmond 8, Binghamton 2

The Flying Squirrels never trailed in the first game of the doubleheader, scoring first in the second inning. After C.J. Hinojosa reached on an error, he was plated by Jeff Arnold’s sacrifice fly to give Richmond a 1-0 lead.

After Jerry Sands doubled home Miguel Gomez in the fourth inning, making it 2-0, Slade Heathcott launched his eighth home run of the season just an inning later, pushing the lead to 3-0.

Donovan Hand’s (3-2) night came to an end after the fifth; he allowed two earned runs on four hits without giving up a walk. He suffered his first loss since May 12 against Akron.

Richmond bashed the Binghamton bullpen, scoring five runs off of Scarlyn Reyes and Luis Mateo in the final two innings. Heathcott hit his second home run of the game in the Flying Squirrel’s four-run seventh inning.

Sam Coonrod (2-6) snapped a four-start losing streak by tossing six innings and allowing just two runs.

Game Two – Binghamton 3, Richmond 0

The Rumble Ponies offense scratched across three runs, which proved plenty for Chris Flexen in his first Double-A appearance.

Flexen (1-0) tossed all seven innings, allowing just five hits without giving out a free pass. The 22-year-old struck out six Flying Squirrels.

Matt Oberste’s fourth-inning leadoff triple resulted in Binghamton’s first run, when Kevin Kaczmarski’s sacrifice fly scored him from third.

Two innings later, David Thompson singled home Oberste to give the Ponies a 2-0 advantage. With Thompson still aboard, Jio Mier doubled deep into left centerfield to plate Thompson from third for a 3-0 Binghamton lead.

Cory Taylor (2-5) also went the distance, twirling six innings of three-run baseball in the loss.

The Rumble Ponies (32-21) conclude their series against the Flying Squirrels Thursday at 6:35 PM. Binghamton RHP Corey Oswalt opposes Richmond LHP Matt Gage. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting at 6:20 PM on News Radio 1290 WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: Chris Flexen is the fifth Rumble Pony to toss a complete game and fourth to earn a shutout…Kevin Taylor has a hit safely in 20 of his last 23 games…Binghamton is 8-3 in shutout games…three Rumble Pony pitchers have complete game shutouts against Richmond

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.