Ponies Split Doubleheader With Reading, McIlwain Pinch-Hit Walk-Off Single in Game One

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies (5-6) split Thursday’s doubleheader against the Reading Fightin Phils (4-8) at Mirabito Stadium, with both games ending in extra innings. Brandon McIlwain hit a pinch-hit walk-off single in the first game to win it for the Ponies.

Game One: Rumble Ponies 4, Fightin Phils 3 (Final/8)

With the Ponies down 1-0 in the third inning, Rhylan Thomas drilled a go-ahead two-run double to go up 2-1. Reading responded in the fourth inning with a game-tying solo home run from Kendall Simmons.

Marcus Lee Sang hit a go-ahead solo homer for Reading in the sixth that put the Fightin Phils up 3-2. The Ponies tied the game with an RBI single from Rowdey Jordan in the sixth.

Paul Gervase (1-0) twirled two hitless and scoreless frames with three strikeouts out of the bullpen to keep the score at 3-3. Then, with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, McIlwain came in as a pinch-hitter for Wyatt Young and slapped a walk-off single that scored JT Schwartz to win the game for Binghamton, 4-3.

Game Two: Fightin Phils 7, Rumble Ponies 4 (Final/8)

Binghamton’s starting pitcher Troy Miller tossed four scoreless innings with five strikeouts, while allowing just three hits and no walks.

The Ponies broke the scoreless tie in the fifth inning on a two-run single from Alex Ramírez. Reading cut the deficit in half in the sixth on an RBI groundout from Carlos De La Cruz that made it 2-1.

Binghamton went back in front in the sixth on back-to-back RBI doubles from Jordan and José Peroza, which gave the Ponies a 4-1 lead.

Reading tied the game 4-4 in the seventh with three runs and went ahead 7-4 in the eighth, highlighted by a two-run double from William Simoneit. The Ponies did not score in extra innings.

The Rumble Ponies continue their series with the Fightin Phils on Friday at Mirabito Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:05 PM and pregame coverage will get underway at 5:50 PM on Newsradio 1290 WNBF and 92.1 FM.

Postgame Notes: Thomas had his second three-hit game of the season and went 3-for-4 in the second game of the twin bill…Tyler Stuart started the first game for the Ponies and allowed two runs over five innings with four strikeouts…Young had three hits and two runs scored across the two games.