PONIES WIN 10-4

McNeil’s Cycle Sends Ponies to Series Win, 10-4

PORTLAND, ME – Binghamton infielder Jeff McNeil hit for the cycle and scored four runs to send the Rumble Ponies to a 10-4 win over the Portland Sea Dogs on Sunday afternoon at Hadlock Field. McNeil capped his historic day with a home run in the eighth, becoming just the second player in franchise history to complete the feat. The Rumble Ponies offense racked up a season-high 15 hits to secure the rubber game victory.

McNeil opened his memorable game by putting the Ponies on the board in the first inning. Following Levi Michael’s leadoff double against Travis Lakins, McNeil crushed a triple to right, extending his hitting streak to 12 games.

Binghamton used the longball to stretch out their lead. Peter Alonso cleared the Maine Monster in left field with a two-run shot in the third. His ninth home run of the season, and first since May 1, gave the Rumble Ponies a 4-1 advantage.

The Rumble Ponies posted a four-spot in the fourth against reliever Teddy Stankiewicz. Michael followed in Alonso’s footsteps with a longball over the Monster in left. Binghamton strung together three consecutive two-out hits to kick their lead to a half-dozen runs.

After singling in the third and doubling in the fourth, McNeil stepped to the plate in the eighth against Stankiewicz with a chance at history. He fouled off the first two pitches before taking three straight out of the zone. McNeil put his name in the history books by blasting Stankiewicz’s payoff pitch into the seats beyond the right-field wall.

The offensive outburst pushed Marcos Molina (1-3) to his first win of the season. The righty surrendered two runs (one earned) on four hits over six innings. After surrendering a solo homer to Josh Ockimey in the third, Molina held Portland hitless in their next ten at-bats. He side-stepped five walks and three errors behind him to preserve Binghamton’s lead.

The Rumble Ponies (17-17) return to Binghamton to open a three-game series against the Erie SeaWolves on Monday at 6:35 PM. RHP Mickey Jannis takes the mound against RHP Kyle Funkhouser. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 12:45 PM and can be heard on NewsRadio 1290 AM and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: Josh Satin (pronounced “sat-in”) is the only other Binghamton player to hit for the cycle (June 24, 2011 @ Bowie Baysox)…Jeff McNeil matched his career-high with four runs scored; he leads the Eastern League with 30 runs scored...Binghamton’s 15 hits were their most in a game since they collected 16 on August 16, 2017 at the Erie SeaWolves…the Rumble Ponies have won three straight games