Randolph Lifts Off to Spoil Ponies' Late Push
READING, PA - Cornelius Randolph blasted a pinch-hit, walk-off three-run homer in the ninth to send the Reading Fightin Phils past the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, 5-2, on Friday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. Randolph stole the spotlight from Binghamton starter Franklyn Kilome who racked up ten strikeouts against his former team.
It took a resilient push from the Rumble Ponies in the top of the ninth just to keep the game alive. Binghamton trailed by a run and had two aboard with two outs. Kevin Taylor fouled off four two-strike pitches from reliever Kyle Dohy before stroking a game-tying single into left, chasing Will Toffey home from second. The next batter, JJ Franco, nearly gave the Ponies the lead, but second baseman Drew Stankiewicz made an acrobatic diving catch to rob him of a run-producing hit to end the inning.
With the game tied at two, Reading put two aboard against Ryder Ryan in the bottom of the ninth before Luis Rojas tabbed David Roseboom to face Randolph. The Fightins pinch-hitter launched the southpaw's 3-2 offering over the right-field wall to secure Reading's fourth walk-off win of the season.
Before the theatrics late in the game, the contest was highlighted by pitchers' duel early between Kilome and Reading starter Tyler Viza. Pitching on the FirstEnergy Stadium mound for the tenth time this season, Kilome looked right at home for the Rumble Ponies. After stepping out of trouble by stranding the bases loaded in the second, the righty cruised into the seventh, retiring 14 of 15 batters.
Kilome stumbled in the seventh, failing to protect a one-run lead. The righty walked Jan Hernandez before surrendering consecutive RBI singles to Drew Stankiewicz and Austin Bossart.
Viza had kept the Ponies in check for six scoreless innings before a slight misstep in the seventh, allowing a sacrifice fly to Tomas Nido after allowing the first two to reach.
Kilome fell one strikeout shy of matching his professional career-high with his 10-K performance. He was touched for two runs on six hits over 6-2/3 innings in the no-decision.
The Rumble Ponies (55-62) continue their only visit to Reading on Saturday at 6:45 PM. RHP Justin Dunn takes the mound for Binghamton. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 6:30 PM and can be heard on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.
POSTGAME NOTES: Franklyn Kilome was traded from the Phillies to the Mets for Asdrubal Cabrera on July 27…Binghamton suffered their ninth walk-off loss of the season, and their third via a home run…Andres Gimenez extended his hitting streak to seven games with a two-hit game