Ponies with Big Comeback Victory in Game 2, Split Sunday Doubleheader in Erie

ERIE, PA – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies (15-11) split a doubleheader against the Erie SeaWolves (17-10) on Sunday afternoon at UPMC Park. The two teams split the six-game set.

Game One: Seawolves 1, Rumble Ponies 0

Max Anderson’s RBI single in the fifth proved to be the difference as Erie took game one. SeaWolves starter Joseph Montalvo (2-0) pitched five no-hit innings, allowing just one baserunner. Jonah Tong (0-2) allowed one run on four hits over four plus innings, with three walks and eight strikeouts.

Douglas Orellana pitched two scoreless innings in relief, lowering his ERA to 0.73 for the season.

Game Two: Rumble Ponies 6, SeaWolves 4

After falling behind 4-0 after four innings, the Rumble Ponies scored six unanswered runs in the final three innings of the game to take game two.

In the fifth, Matt O’Neill singled, and Wyatt Young doubled to begin the frame against starter Troy Melton. After Melton was taken out of the game, Yonny Hernández hit an RBI groundout to second to put Binghamton on the board and advance Young to third. After Nick Morabito walked, Ryan Clifford lined an RBI single to right to score Young and cut the deficit to 4-2. With runners on the corners and one out, Nick Lorusso hit an RBI groundout to third to score Morabito and make it a 4-3 game to cap off a three-run inning.

In the sixth, after the first two hitters were retired, Young hit another opposite-field double to left to put a runner in scoring position. The next batter, Hernández, lined a single to center that scored Young to tie the game at four, with Hernández advancing to second on the throw home. Morabito followed with an infield single down the third base line, with an errant throw from the pitcher allowing Hernández to score all the way from second and give Binghamton the 5-4 lead.

In the seventh, William Lugo belted a home run over the high wall in left, his first of the season, to put Binghamton up 6-4. Lugo finished 3-for-4 with a double, his second three-hit game of the series and third three-hit game over the last week.

In the bottom half of the inning, Ryan Lambert loaded the bases with two out, but struck out Eduardo Valencia swinging to end the game and earn his first save of his Double-A career. Lambert pitched two scoreless frames in his second AA appearance. Hunter Parsons (1-0) earned the win pitching a scoreless fifth inning.

The Rumble Ponies return home Tuesday to open a six-game series against the Reading Fightin Phils (Phillies AA Affiliate). First pitch Tuesday is at 6:07 p.m. with the NYCM Insurance Pregame Show getting underway at 5:50 p.m. on the WNBF Rumble Ponies Radio Network.

Postgame Notes: Lugo hit .400 (8-for-20) over the six-game series, with three doubles and four RBIs, he is now hitting .324 for the season…Young finished 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs scored…Binghamton split both doubleheaders this week.