PONIES LOSE A PAIR

Flying Squirrels Go Nuts with Two Outs in Sweep

BINGHAMTON, NY – The Richmond Flying Squirrels racked up twelve hits and seven runs with two outs across a pair of games and swept the Binghamton Rumble Ponies in a doubleheader on Wednesday night at NYSEG Stadium.

Game 1 – Flying Squirrels 3, Rumble Ponies 1

Binghamton turned to the newest member of their clubhouse to put them on the board in the third inning of the opener. Joey Wong, added to the roster on Tuesday, launched a solo homer in his first at-bat as a Rumble Pony to put Binghamton on top 1-0.

The one-run lead seemed to be enough for Binghamton starter Nabil Crismatt until the righty’s no-hit roll came to an end in the fifth. With two outs, Luigi Rodriguez blooped a single to left-center, Richmond’s first hit in the game. Jerry Sands followed by pounding an RBI double off the wall in right-center. Ryan Howard and Aramis Garcia each followed with run-producing singles to give the Squirrels a two-run lead.

Taylor protected the advantage by getting Kevin Taylor to bounce into an inning-ending double with two aboard in the fifth. The righty stepped around a leadoff walk to post a blank sixth. Reliever Caleb Simpson walked two in the seventh, but coaxed pinch-hitter Nick Sergakis to chop into a game-ending double play.

Crismatt (5-2) allowed three runs on five hits over five innings in his first loss since April 14. He struck out seven and walked four.

Taylor (6-1) fanned four, walked four and surrendered one run on three hits in six innings to collect the victory.

Game 2 – Flying Squirrels 4, Rumble Ponies 1

Richmond kept up their roll with two outs in the nightcap. After Marcos Molina set down the first two batters of the game, Dillon Dobson doubled down the left-field line. Dylan Davis followed by threading an RBI single into center. Aramis Garcia padded the lead with a three-run homer with two outs in the fifth.

The Rumble Ponies could not solve Richmond starter Shaun Anderson. The righty kept Binghamton out of the hit column into the fifth inning, fanning six in his first four scoreless innings. Champ Stuart poked a single into right in the fifth, but was nabbed at second attempting to stretch the hit. Binghamton’s long offensive highlight arrived in the sixth when Peter Alonso deposited his team-leading 12^th homer of the season over the wall in right-center.

Molina (1-4) allowed four runs on nine hits over five innings in the defeat. He walked one and struck out three.

Anderson (5-2) struck out seven and allowed one run on three hits in six innings of work to claim the victory. Dillon McNamara kept the Ponies off the board in the seventh to earn his first save.

The Rumble Ponies (22-22) conclude their series with Richmond on Thursday morning at 10:35 AM. RHP Scott Copeland faces RHP Jordan Johnson in the finale. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 10:20 AM and can be heard on CBS Sports Radio 1360 AM and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: Kevin Taylor went 0-for-3 in the opener and had his 16-game hitting streak snapped…Binghamton was swept in a doubleheader for the third time this season; their highest single-season total since 2007 (3)…Joey Wong is the second Binghamton player this season to homer in his first at-bat in his Rumble Pony debut (Tim Tebow, 4/5 v Portland)