Gordon Tosses 6.0 Scoreless Innings, Perozo Homers, Binghamton Outlasts Altoona

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – R.J. Gordon earned his third win of August after tossing 6.0 scoreless innings as the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (26-24) picked up their 17th victory of the month and shut out the Altoona Curve (19-30), 4-0, on Saturday night at Mirabito Stadium.

It marked Binghamton’s fourth shutout win of the season. Rumble Ponies right-hander R.J. Gordon tossed 6.0 innings for the fourth time this season, recording his fourth scoreless outing. Gordon faced the minimum over the first two innings and struck out five.

In August, Gordon has pitched 23 innings and has allowed just four earned runs with four wins in this month.

The Rumble Ponies took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when right-hander Dominic Pipkin loaded the bases. Center fielder John Bay walked in designated hitter Marco Vargas for the game's first run and Binghamton left three on base.

Pipkin allowed three runs over 2.0 innings with four walks. In the bottom of the second inning the Ponies went in front 3-0. Third baseman Jacob Reimer, who tallied his second three-hit night of the season smacked a two-run single. He scored second baseman Jamari Baylor who singled and left fielder Vincent Perozo who walked.

Perozo extended the Binghamton advantage to 4-0 in the fourth inning as he blasted a solo home run off of right-hander Aaron Shortridge. It was Perozo’s eighth home run of the year and Binghamton has now homered in seven straight games.

After Gordon exited the game, Binghamton did not put one runner on base over the final three innings. Left-hander Felipe De La Cruz tossed a perfect seventh frame in his second outing back off the injured list.

Right-hander Brendan Girton pitched a scoreless eighth inning and then right-hander Carlos Guzman who has not allowed an earned run in 16 of his last 17 appearances pitched a scoreless ninth inning.

Binghamton is 17-3 in the month of August, and they have won three consecutive series for the first time this season. They sit 2.5 games back of Reading in the Northeast division with 19 games left to go.

The Rumble Ponies close a six-game series with the Altoona Curve (Double-A, Pittsburgh Pirates) on Sunday at Mirabito Stadium. First pitch is set for 1 p.m and the game will be broadcast on MiLB.TV, News Radio 1290 AM & 92.1 FM, and on the WNBF News Radio App.

Postgame Notes: Reimer second three-hit game of season, and has 16 RBI over his first 13 games back with Binghamton (3-for-4, 2 RBI, SB)...Perozo 8th HR (1-for-3, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB)...Rojas (1-for-3, BB)...Bay (0-for-2, 2 BB, RBI)...Baylor second Double-A hit (1-for-4, R)...Gordon has gone 6.0 or more in three of four outings in August (6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO)...De La Cruz (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO)...Girton (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO)...Guzman (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO).