READING DEFEATS BINGHAMTON 8-5

Reading’s Barrage Trumps Ponies Early Offense

READING, PA – The Reading Fightin Phils launched three home runs, including a go-ahead, three-run shot by Damek Tomshca, to defeat the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, 8-5, on Sunday evening at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Rumble Ponies failed to protect a four-run lead after a big first inning and suffered their seventh series sweep of the season.

Before Reading’s home run burst, the Rumble Ponies compiled a promising start against starter Ranfi Casimiro. Joey Terdoslavich launched an opposite-field two-run homer in the first and Andrew Ely followed with a two-run triple in Binghamton’s four-run first inning.

The tides began to turn in the bottom of the second when Austin Listi deposited Kevin McGowan’s 2-2 pitch over the left-field wall with a runner aboard, cutting Binghamton’s lead in half. In the fourth, Deivi Grullon made it a one-run game with a solo shot down the left-field line, his team-leading 19^th long ball.

Tomscha sealed the game for Reading in the fifth. After Joey Terdoslavich opened the door with a fielding error, Cornelius Randolph walked. Tomscha pulled the second pitch he saw into the seats in left to push the Fightins ahead for good.

Binghamton’s offense failed to rekindle their rhythm from the first. Casimiro dipped out of trouble in the second and third and capped his day with three scoreless innings. Luke Leftwich blanked the Ponies for two frames before Seth McGarry tossed a scoreless seventh.

Mazeika finally snapped Binghamton out of their funk with a leadoff homer in the eighth, trimming Reading’s lead to three. The blast, Mazeika’s first since May 12, proved to be Binghamton’s final tally in the game. Edgar Garcia registered the final six outs of the game to secure Reading’s eighth straight victory.

McGowan (0-3) allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits, including three home runs, over five innings in the loss.

The Rumble Ponies (55-64) open a three-game series at NYSEG Stadium against the Akron RubberDucks on Tuesday at 6:35 PM. LHP Matt Gage toes the rubber 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: Binghamton pitchers allowed three home runs in a game for the first time since serving up three to the Erie SeaWolves on July 5…Binghamton suffered their first series sweep since they dropped all four to the Akron RubberDucks in mid-July…Joey Terdoslavich registered his eighth multiple-hit game in the last 12 game