PONIES LOSE 5-4

Comeback Bid Falls Short in 5-4 Loss to Fisher Cats

MANCHESTER, NH – The Rumble Ponies plated two in the ninth innings, but left the potential tying run on second in a 5-4 loss to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Wednesday night at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium. Former Major Leaguer Craig Breslow slammed the door to send Binghamton to their sixth loss in seven games.

Trailing by three, the Ponies filled the bases to start the final inning against Fisher Cats reliever Andrew Case. Peter Alonso chased the righty from the game with a sacrifice fly. Patrick Mazeika greeted Breslow by blooping an RBI single to right, trimming the deficit to one. Breslow bounced back and struck out Matt Oberste to end the game.

The Ponies were forced to muster a comeback bid after New Hampshire grabbed the lead with a tiebreaking three-run sixth inning. With two aboard and the game tied at two, Luis Rojas summoned Johnny Magliozzi. The Rumble Ponies newest reliever hit Harold Ramirez before issuing a bases-loaded walk to Andrew Guillotte. Gunnar Heidt capped the game-changing inning by pulling a two-run single into left.

New Hampshire’s three-run inning halted any momentum the Rumble Ponies compiled after tying the game in the top of the sixth. After Fisher Cat starter Francisco Rios exited due to an apparent injury, Alonso stroked an RBI double against reliever Dusty Isaacs. Oberste supplied a game-tying sacrifice fly later in the inning.

Rios was sharp to open the game for New Hampshire. He retired 13 of the first 15 Ponies he faced, before stranding two in the fifth. The righty surrendered a single to John Mora in the sixth before exiting in the no-decision.

Tim Tebow extended his hitting streak to five games with a single in the fifth. The Rumble Ponies outfielder earned his first walk of the season in the ninth and scored.

Isaacs (1-0) allowed one inherited runner to score and surrendered a run of his own, but still picked up the win in an inning of work.

Joseph Shaw (0-2) took the loss after watching two of the runners he handed to Magliozzi score in the sixth. The Rumble Ponies starter was touched for four runs (three earned) on seven hits over 5-2/3 innings. He struck out three and did not issue a walk.

The Rumble Ponies (4-6) conclude their first road trip of the season on Thursday morning at 10:35 AM. RHP Andrew Church takes the hill against RHP Jordan Romano in the series finale. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 10:20 AM and can be heard on CBS Sports Radio 1360 WYOS and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: Joshua Torres struck out three over 1-1/3 innings of scoreless relief…Tim Tebow’s five-game hitting streak is the longest active streak among Rumble Ponies hitters…Rumble Ponies starters have failed to pick up the win in their last seven games