Tidwell Spins Eight Scoreless, Binghamton Blanks Hartford
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – New York Mets No. 2 pitching prospect Blade Tidwell threw a career-high eight scoreless innings with nine strikeouts for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (13-12), in a 2-0 victory over the Hartford Yard Goats on Saturday at Mirabito Stadium. It marked the Ponies’ first shutout of the season.
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – New York Mets No. 2 pitching prospect Blade Tidwell threw a career-high eight scoreless innings with nine strikeouts for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (13-12), in a 2-0 victory over the Hartford Yard Goats on Saturday at Mirabito Stadium. It marked the Ponies’ first shutout of the season.
Tidwell (2-3) allowed five hits and two walks over eight scoreless frames and struck out at least nine batters for the third time this season. The 22-year-old lowered his Eastern League-leading ERA to 1.23. The former second-round pick threw 94 pitches and 72 strikes (77%).
Tidwell faced the minimum over his first five innings of work. With the Ponies up 2-0 in the eighth inning, Tidwell had runners on second and third with one out. He struck out Zac Veen and Bladimir Restituyo and stranded the potential tying runs in scoring position.
Trey McLoughlin came in to relieve Tidwell in the ninth and earned his second save of the season, while facing the minimum.
Binghamton got on the board against Hartford’s (14-10) starting pitcher Mason Albright in the fifth. Joe Suozzi drew a one-out walk, Matt Rudick followed with a single, and Rowdey Jordan followed with an RBI single to make it 1-0.
With two outs in the seventh inning, Rudick hit a solo homer off Blake Goldsberry to give Binghamton a 2-0 lead. It marked Rudick’s third hit of the game and his team-leading third homer of the season.
The Rumble Ponies will finish their six-game series with the Hartford Yard Goats (Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies) at Mirabito Stadium on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1:05 PM and the game will be broadcast live on MiLB.TV and WNBF News Radio 1290 & 92.1 FM.
Postgame Notes: Here are Tidwell’s Eastern League ranks after his start: 1st in ERA (1.23), 1st in WHIP (0.85), 2nd in SO (36), 2nd in IP (29.1), and 3rd in BAA (.155)…Rudick recorded his fifth multi-hit game and second game with at least three hits…Jordan now has three runs batted in over his last two games and has reached base in 12-straight games…Jordan recorded his third multi-hit game…The Ponies lead the series, 3-1.