Late Binghamton homer drops Squirrels in 8-6 loss

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – A three-run homer in the eighth inning propelled the Binghamton Rumble Ponies to an 8-6 win over the Richmond Flying Squirrels Tuesday afternoon at Mirabito Stadium.

Seven of the eight Binghamton runs scored with two outs in the defeat.

Trailing by one run in the top of the sixth, Andy Thomas notched a one-out single, Brett Auerbach followed with a base hit and Hayden Cantrelle walked. Wade Meckler laced an 0-2 pitch to right field to score a pair and drove Richmond (20-19) to a 6-5 lead.

A two-run single for Wade Meckler gives us the lead 💪 pic.twitter.com/LHUnBP8THQ

— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) May 23, 2023

Richmond reliever Spencer Bivens exited the game in the seventh inning and finished the day with two strikeouts over 1.2 scoreless innings.

Parker Dunshee (Loss, 0-1) began the eighth with a walk and issued a two-out walk to Wyatt Young, placing runners at first and second. Matt Rudik crushed a three-run homer to right field and pushed the Rumble Ponies (18-21) back in front, 8-6.

In the top of the ninth, Carter Williams notched a pinch-hit single and Marco Luciano drew a two-out walk to put runners at first and third. Hunter Parsons (Win, 3-2) answered back with a groundout to secure the Binghamton victory.

Binghamton captured a 1-0 lead after Rudick scored from third base off a double play in the first inning.

The Flying Squirrels took a 2-1 lead in the second off an RBI single from Brett Auerbach and a sacrifice fly from Hayden Cantrelle.

Brett Auerbach drops one in to score Carter Aldrete and we’re all tied up in the second pic.twitter.com/ha4iwBjzV4

— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) May 23, 2023

Hayden Senger evened the score, 2-2, in the bottom of the second with a solo home run to right-center field against Richmond starter Kai-Wei Teng.

In the top of the fifth inning, Vaun Brown pushed Richmond to a one-run lead advantage with an RBI triple and later scored when Marco Luciano grounded out to move the score to 4-2.

Vaun Brown brings home Wade Meckler from first 🔥 pic.twitter.com/AZPWHPWViq

— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) May 23, 2023

With the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth inning, Brandon McIlwain blasted a double to left field to score three runs and sent the Rumble Ponies to a 5-4 advantage.

Game two of the road trip will be Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Right-hander Ryan Murphy (1-1, 5.74) will make the start for Richmond opposed by Binghamton right-hander Mike Vasil (1-1, 2.19).

The Flying Squirrels return to The Diamond Tuesday, May 30, to kick off a two-week homestand. Tuesday is Scott’s Addition Night and a Mesh Trucker Hat giveaway for the first 1,000 fans ages 21 and older presented by Brown Distributing.

Tickets are available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com/Tickets, by phone at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office.