Four-Run Eighth Inning Pushes Binghamton Past New Hampshire

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies (8-6) defeated the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, 6-2, in the series opener on Tuesday at Mirabito Stadium. It marked Binghamton’s fifth-straight win.

With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth, eight batters came to the plate and four runs scored for Binghamton to go ahead 6-2 against Jonathan Lavallee (1-1). The inning started with Yonny Hernández and William Lugo reaching on back-to-back errors. Wyatt Young placed down a sacrifice bunt that moved both runners into scoring position. Hernández eventually scored on a passed ball that put Binghamton up 3-2.

In the same inning, Jett Williams hit an RBI single. Nick Morabito followed with an RBI triple and Ryan Clifford followed with an RBI double that made it 6-2. Williams went 3-for-5 with two runs batted in, two runs, two singles, a triple, and two stolen bases in the game.

Binghamton’s relievers blanked New Hampshire. TJ Shook tossed 1.2 scoreless frames with one strikeout, while allowing two hits. Cameron Foster (2-0) earned the win and struck out one batter over two perfect innings. Luis Moreno faced the minimum in the ninth inning.

New Hampshire (6-7) scored the first two runs of the game, before Binghamton put up six unanswered runs. Yohendrick Piñango hit a leadoff home run to begin the game. In the fourth inning, Eddinson Paulino hit an RBI double.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Young led off with a single and Williams followed with an RBI triple that cut Binghamton’s deficit to 2-1. Later in the inning, Nick Lorusso drilled a game-tying RBI single that made it 2-2. Lorusso went 3-for-4 with three singles, an RBI, and a walk.

Jonah Tong started for Binghamton and struck out a Double-A career-high-tying nine batters over 4.1 innings, while allowing two runs on three hits and three walks in the no-decision.

The Rumble Ponies continue their seven-game series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Double-A, Toronto Blue Jays) on Wednesday at Mirabito Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:07 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on WNBF News Radio 1290 & 92.1 FM.

Postgame Notes: Lorusso recorded his first three-hit game and extended his on-base streak to 10 games, while upping his season average to .317 and OPS to .903…Williams extended his hit streak to five games and recorded his first three-hit game of the season and is now hitting .292 with a .909 OPS…Morabito extended his on-base streak to 11 games with the RBI triple in the eighth inning…Clifford extended his hit streak to three games, with five hits and three runs batted in…Travis Swaggerty drew two walks and extended his on-base streak to five games.