SeaWolves Strike Early, Top Ponies, 5-2
BINGHAMTON, NY - The Erie SeaWolves powered past the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, 5-2, on Friday night at NYSEG Stadium. Erie erupted for three first-inning runs, putting the Ponies in a hole they never climbed out of. Binghamton struggled to generate offense against the Erie bullpen, recording just one hit after the fourth inning.
SeaWolves right fielder Jason Krizan wasted no time putting Erie on the board, homering in the first at-bat of the game. Later in the first, after Logan Watkins was hit by a pitch, Mike Gerber singled and advanced to second. With two runners in scoring position and Christin Stewart at the dish, a passed ball by Colton Plaia broke in Watkins from third. Later in the at-bat, Stewart grounded out to second, scoring Gerber for a 3-0 SeaWolves advantage.
The Rumble Ponies didn't take long to respond. Binghamton's first batter, Patrick Biondi, singled, stole second, and advanced to third on a throwing error by SeaWolves catcher Grayson Greiner. With Biondi on third, Kevin Kaczmarski's groundout to short scored Biondi and cut the deficit to 3-1.
Binghamton was next on the board again, plating one in the bottom of the third. After Champ Stuart reached on a leadoff walk, the speedy outfielder swiped second base. Stuart scurried to third on a softly-hit Biondi single into right field. With runners on the corners, David Thompson dribbled a slow ground ball down the third base line that would result in an infield single and an RBI, as Stuart would score to make it 3-2.
The Rumble Ponies could not push any more across against the SeaWolves bullpen. After Artie Lewicki's five innings of work, John Turley, Mike Zagurski, Sean Donatello, and Paul Voelker combined to pitch four scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. That includes a bases loaded no-out situation for the Rumble Pony offense in the seventh inning. Zagurski inherited the jam, but retired the next three batters without the ball leaving the infield.
Lewicki (1-0) allowed two runs on five hits over five innings to pick up the win. Oswalt (0-2) struck out five in six innings in the loss.
The Rumble Ponies (4-4) wrap up their three-game series against the SeaWolves on Saturday afternoon at 1:05 PM. RHP Casey Delgado takes the hill against LHP Matt Crouse. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting a 12:50 PM on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.
POSTGAME NOTES: David Thompson extended his hit streak to 6 games with a 1-for-4 performance...Luis Guillorme, with one hit in three at-bats on Friday, is 8-for-12 in his last three games.