Dunn and Done; Ponies Avoid Sweep in Trenton
TRENTON, NJ - Binghamton starter Justin Dunn struck out nine over seven scoreless innings in his Double-A debut to guide the Rumble Ponies past the Trenton Thunder, 6-0, on Sunday afternoon at ARM & HAMMER Park. The Rumble Ponies avoided the sweep with their third shutout win of the season.
In his first inning at Double-A, Dunn stepped around a walk and a hit batter to post a scoreless frame. He fanned two in the second before using a double play to erase another walk in the third.
Trenton's biggest push against the Mets' top pick in the 2016 draft came in the fourth when they put two aboard with one out. Dunn got Jhalan Jackson to roll into an inning-ending double play to kill the threat. Dunn retired nine of the final eleven Thunder hitters he faced, capping his day by fanning Angel Aguilar to end the seventh, his ninth strikeout.
Binghamton provided offensive support for Dunn before he threw his first pitch as a Rumble Pony. Jeff McNeil doubled in the first inning and came home when Patrick Mazeika floated a two-out single to right. The Rumble Ponies stretched their lead with a three-run third inning. Peter Alonso stroked an RBI single to left before Patrick Mazeika and Kevin Taylor added run-producing singles.
Dunn (1-0) allowed two hits and handed out four walks in the victory. Ryder Ryan and Tyler Bashler each racked up a pair of strikeouts in scoreless innings to close Binghamton's pitching tab.
The Rumble Ponies (34-28) return home to start a three-game series against the Altoona Curve on Tuesday night at 6:35 PM. 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 combined to allow a season-low three hits…the Rumble Ponies finished their two-city road trip with a 3-3 record…Binghamton avoided being swept for the first time since a rain-shortened two-game sweep in Portland against the Sea Dogs (April 13 & 14)