PONIES CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH

Ponies Clinch Playoff Berth, Despite 9-5 Loss

Portland, ME – The Rumble Ponies overcame a pair of deficits on Saturday night at Hadlock Field, but Portland’s four-run eighth inning was too much in the Sea Dogs 9-5 win over Rumble Ponies. Nearly thirty minutes after the Ponies game finished, Harrisburg defeated Reading, propelling Binghamton into the 2017 Eastern League Playoffs. It’s Binghamton’s fourth playoff appearance in the last five seasons.
Tied 5-5 heading to eighth inning, Portland grabbed the lead back for the third time after collecting four runs on five hits. Following Cole Sturgeon’s leadoff single, Casey Delgado’s throwing error allowed Danny Bethea to reach as well. Danny Mars pushed Portland in front by stroking a double into the right field alley, ending Casey Delgado’s night. Cory Burns was greeted by a Chad De La Guerra’s RBI double, giving the Sea Dogs an 8-5 lead. Jeremy Barfield provided an insurance run, singling home De La Guerra, making it a 9-5 contest.
Binghamton fought back from an early 2-0 deficit when Tomas Nido launched a two-run homer in the fourth, tying the game at 2-2. His eighth home run of the season scored Peter Alonso, who kicked off the frame with a single.
Portland responded by plating one run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to grab a three-run advantage, the largest lead in the series.
David Thompson cut the deficit to two, with his team-leading 16^th home run of the season, a solo blast that cleared the right-center field fence.
Binghamton knocked Dedgar Jimenez out of the game in the seventh inning after back-to-back knocks from Luis Guillorme and L.J. Mazzilli. Sea Dogs Manager Carlos Febles summoned Trevor Kelly from the bullpen. Kelly gave up a run-scoring double to Alonso and an RBI groundout from Matt Oberste, tying the game at 5-5.
Matt Harvey made his fourth Major League rehab appearance and second with Binghamton. He tossed 4-2/3 innings and allowed three earned runs on five hits. He exited the game after hitting Jeremy Barfield with two-outs in the fifth inning.
Trevor Kelly (1-1) hurled the final 2-2/3 innings and allowed just one hit in his first win of the 2017 season.
Casey Delgado (10-6) piggybacked off of Harvey, twirling 2-1/3 innings. He gave up two earned runs and issued three walks without a strikeout.
The Rumble Ponies (77-54) finish their five-game series with the Sea Dogs on Sunday afternoon. Binghamton sends Corey Oswalt to the mound to face Portland’s Trey Ball. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM at Hadlock Field. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting at 12:45 on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.
POSTGAME NOTES: Its Binghamton’s 10^th playoff appearance in franchise history…They’ll face Trenton in the postseason for the second time in franchise history (2013)…Teams managed by Luis Rojas have made the playoffs in four of the last five seasons
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.