DUCKS POWER DOWN PONIES

Ducks Flash Leather& Power to Down Ponies

AKRON, OH – The Akron RubberDucks used two sparkling defensive plays and a go-ahead home run by Bobby Bradley to defeat the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, 9-5, on Sunday afternoon at Canal Park. Binghamton infielder Levi Michael compiled a four-hit game, but it was not enough to prevent Binghamton from getting swept in the four-game series.

Akron flashed the leather in the third to prevent the Ponies from adding to their two-run lead. With a runner aboard, Josh Allen hit a fly ball to the right-field alley. Andrew Calica, sprinting from center, made a full-extension, diving grab to rob Allen and end the inning. In the fifth, Allen hit a pop up in foul ground with two aboard. Bobby Bradley dashed from first and dove into the front row to make the inning-ending catch.

Buoyed by his defensive gem, Bradley changed the game in the bottom of the fifth, blasting a two-run homer to right with two outs against Harol Gonzalez. Bradley’s shot, his team-leading 18^th of the season, gave Akron a 4-3 lead.

The Rumble Ponies had grabbed an early advantage against Akron starter Triston McKenzie. Allen delivered an RBI single in Binghamton’s two-run first inning before Jhoan Urena launched a solo homer in the fourth, his sixth longball of the season.

After falling behind on Bradley’s homer the Rumble Ponies pulled within a run on back-to-back two-out doubles from Levi Michael and Kevin Taylor in the seventh. Binghamton put two aboard in the eighth, but Argenis Angulo retired Joey Wong to end the threat.

Akron salted the game away by scoring four times in the eighth against relievers Stephen Nogosek and David Roseboom.

Binghamton starter Harol Gonzalez (0-1) suffered the loss in his Double-A debut. The righty was touched for five runs on eight hits over six innings. He struck out five and walked two. McKenzie (4-2) earned the win in 5-2/3 innings of work.

The Rumble Ponies (43-48) return home to open a four-game series against the Portland Sea Dogs on Monday at 6:45 PM. RHP Justin Dunn takes the mound for Binghamton. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 6:20 PM and can be heard on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: Tim Tebow’s single to center in the eighth extended his hitting streak to a season-high 11 games, one shy of a career-high (12 with St. Lucie (High-A) in 2017)…Levi Michael matched a career-high with his four-hit game…the Rumble Ponies were swept for the sixth time this season

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