Ponies Walk to Wire-to-Wire Win, 7-1
PORTLAND, ME - Four straight Rumble Ponies walked in a four-run ninth inning, three with the bases loaded, to send Binghamton to a 7-1 win over the Portland Sea Dogs Sunday afternoon at Hadlock Field. Binghamton's series-ending win also concludes their 2017 road schedule and extends their league-best road record to 43-30.
Peter Alonso's leadoff fourth inning double kickstarted a three-run frame, beginning Binghamton's wire-to-wire win. After Kevin Taylor reached on Josh Ockimey's fielding error, L.J. Mazzilli stroked a Trey Ball offer into right field, bringing home Alonso. With runners on the corners, Tyler Moore's groundout to the right side plated Taylor to give the Ponies a 2-0 lead. Gustavo Nunez capped the rally with a double into the left field alley, scoring Mazzilli from second.
That was more than enough for recently named Post-season All-Star Corey Oswalt (11-6). The league-leader in ERA allowed just one run across six innings, while striking out nine Sea Dogs. The only run he allowed came in on Josh Ockmiey's run-scoring groundout in the fourth inning. Oswalt has tossed 13 innings of one-run ball in back-to-back starts against Portland.
The Ponies scored four ninth-inning insurance runs, aided by four straight walks from Sea Dogs reliever Ty Buttrey. Taylor and Mazzilli notched back-to-back singles before Buttrey issued his first base on balls to Tyler Moore, loading the bases. Nunez, Patrick Biondi, and Luis Guillorme each drew consecutive walks before Buttrey was yanked for Jacob Dahlstrand. Kevin Kaczmarski greeted Dahlstrand with a sacrifice fly, pushing the Ponies in front by six, 7-1.
Ball (6-12) lost his first career start against Binghamton, twirling six innings and allowing three runs (one earned). He struck out four Rumble Ponies and issued a pair of walks.
Ben Griset, Tim Peterson, and Tyler Bashlor combined to hurl three scoreless innings to give the Rumble Ponies their second win the five-game series.
The Rumble Ponies (78-54) return to Binghamton to finish the regular season with eighth straight home games. The Ponies welcome in the Erie SeaWolves on Monday evening for a four-game series. Ricky Knapp takes the mound for a 6:35 first pitch at NYSEG Stadium. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting at 6:20 on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.
POSTGAME NOTES: Corey Oswalt has won eight of his last nine decisions…Binghamton took the season series against Portland, 12 games to eight…the Rumble Ponies have lost back-to-back series