PONIES SPLIT TWIN BILL

McNeil’s Walk Off Highlights Twin Bill Split

BINGHAMTON, NY – The Rumble Ponies topped the Fisher Cats, 6-5, before dropping the nightcap 3-0, Saturday at NYSEG Stadium. Jeff McNeil finished off Binghamton’s two-out seventh-inning rally in game one, before New Hampshire starting pitcher T.J. Zeuch stole the show in game two. Binghamton and New Hampshire have split their 16 meetings this season.

Game 1 – Rumble Ponies 6, Fisher Cats 5

Trailing 5-4 entering the ninth inning, the Ponies completed a comeback by having four straight batters reach with two outs. After Kevin Taylor and Jhoan Urena popped out to begin the frame, Matt Oberste pinch hit for John Mora, drawing a two-out walk. Following a Levi Michael single, Joey Wong drew a walk against Kirby Snead, allowing McNeil to the plate with the bases loaded. His seeing-eye single through the left side plated a pair, sending Binghamton to a 6-5 walk-off win.

New Hampshire was first on the board in game one, scoring two runs off of Josh Prevost in his Double-A debut. The 6-foot-7 right-hander settled in, though, tossing 4.2 innings of three-run baseball in his first-ever Eastern League start.

Fisher Cats starter Jordan Romano had his nine-start winning streak snapped with a no decision. He lasted five innings, allowing four runs (two earned) with four strikeouts.

Joshua Torres (5-0) helped preserve Binghamton’s one-run deficit by tossing 1-1/3 scoreless innings. 

Snead (2-2) recorded only two outs before giving up the game-winning hit.

Game 2 –Fisher Cats 3, Rumble Ponies 0

New Hampshire wasted no time getting on the scoreboard again, doing so in the opening frame. After Jonathan Davis started the game with a single, Bo Bichette followed by doubling, giving the Fisher Cats a quick 1-0 edge. Bichette was thrown out at third attempting to stretch his double into a triple. 

The Fisher Cats continued to batter Marcos Molina, scoring twice more in the fourth inning. Connor Panas made it 2-0 by singling home Harold Ramirez, before Parker Cantwell’s sacrifice fly scored Juan Kelly from third to make it 3-0.

Molina (1-5) coughed up three earned runs in his 4-1/3 frames, walking five with just one strikeout

The three runs proved plenty for T.J. Zeuch. In just his sixth Double-A start, the 22-year-old tossed a seven-inning complete game, allowing just three hits with four strikeouts. After the first inning, Zeuch (3-2) did not allow more than one baserunner to reach in any frame. 

Binghamton (29-25) continues its series against New Hampshire with another doubleheader on Sunday afternoon. RHP Nabil Crismatt takes the bump in game one for the Rumble Ponies with first pitch at NYSEG Stadium scheduled for 1:05. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 12:50 PM and can be heard on NewsRadio 1290 WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES:Daniel Zamora has tossed 11.0 consecutive innings scoreless (8 appearances)…its Binghamton’s fourth doubleheader split…McNeil’s walk-off hit is Binghamton’s third this season…neither team hit a home run in either game