Taylor, Pruitt Home Runs Not Enough for New Hampshire

Manchester, NH – With two runs in the ninth and two in the tenth, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets Double-A affiliate) came from behind to beat the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays) by a score of 8-7 in 10 innings.

For New Hampshire, Samad Taylor hit his team-leading fourth homer of the season to lead off the second inning, Reggie Pruitt hit a solo shot in the eighth, and Otto Lopez recorded his third three-hit game of the season.

The winning runs came home in the top of the 10th on an RBI triple by Jake Mangum and a sacrifice fly by Wagner Lagrange. The Fisher Cats got one back in the bottom half on an LJ Talley pinch hit RBI single, but stranded a pair to end the ballgame.

The Rumble Ponies forced extras with two runs in the top of the ninth. Trailing 6-4 with two on and two out after a pair of singles, Luis Carpio hit a double down the right field line. One run scored easily, and the tying run came home on a misplayed ball in right field.

The Fisher Cats struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Jordan Groshans singled and Otto Lopez followed with a double to straightaway center to put two men in scoring position. Gabriel Moreno then ripped a two-run single down the right field line for a 2-0 lead.

New Hampshire added two more runs in the bottom of the second inning. Samad Taylor led off with his fourth home run of the season, a high fly over the fence in right. A single by Nick Podkul, a single by Groshans, and an another double by Lopez put the Fisher Cats up 4-0. They scored another run in the third with a Reggie Pruitt RBI groundout.

The Rumble Ponies cut into the deficit with two runs in the fourth inning. Carlos Cortes reached on an error and scored on a double by Jake Mangum. Mangum advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a fly ball into the right field corner by Wagner LaGrange.

Binghamton drew within 5-4 with another pair of runs in the sixth on a Jeremy Vazquez RBI single and a run-scoring double play, but Reggie Pruitt added what looked to be a key insurance run with a solo homer off the video board in the bottom of the eighth.

Fisher Cats starter Maximo Castillo was perfect through his first three innings, and finished with just two earned runs allowed on four hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

The Fisher Cats and Rumble Ponies continue the series on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. at Delta Dental Stadium. We’ll celebrate all things New Hampshire on 603 Night. All games this season will be broadcast live on the Fisher Cats flagship station, AM 610 WGIR. For media requests, please email Tyler Murray at [email protected].