PORTLAND, Maine – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies (20-23) had their 10-game winning streak snapped and suffered their first loss since August 1 in a 10-3 defeat to the Portland Sea Dogs (23-20) on Friday night at Delta Dental Park at Hadlock Field.
Portland jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning against right-hander Noah Hall (L, 1-1), marking the largest deficit Binghamton faced during its 10-game winning streak.
Shortstop Henry Godbout, the second batter of the game, singled, and designated hitter Jack Winnay followed with a two-run home run.
The next three Sea Dogs hitters reached base. First baseman Brooks Brannon and center fielder Miguel Bleis singled to set up second baseman Yoelilin Cespedes, who brought in Brannon on a single. Catcher Nate Baez capped off the four-run inning with a sacrifice fly, which scored Bleis.
Binghamton cut the Portland lead to 4-2 in the top of the third inning against left-hander Devin Futrell (W, 1-0). Right fielder Yohairo Cuevas led off the inning with a double, his second at Double-A and his second of the series. Shortstop Mitch Voit followed with a single sending Cuevas to third base, and designated hitter Marco Vargas delivered a sacrifice fly to make it 4-1.
The Rumble Ponies had four hits in the inning; the third was a single off the bat of second baseman Émilien Pitre, and then with two outs, third baseman Billy Amick hammered an RBI double. Amick finished the game with two RBI to raise the total to 91, which leads all of Double-A.
Hall allowed eight runs and 11 hits across 3.2 innings pitched, and surrendered four runs in the fourth inning as Portland took an 8-2 lead. Left fielder Tyler McDonough led off the frame with a solo home run. It marked Portland’s third multi-home-run game of the series.
Winnay doubled with one out, which put him a triple shy of a cycle, and then with two outs, Bleis laced an RBI double, and Cespedes followed by scoring Bleis on a single for a two-RBI night.
Right-hander Douglas Orellana entered for Binghamton and walked three consecutive batters, including a walk to right fielder Nelly Taylor, which scored a run to make it 8-2. Orellana pitched a clean fifth inning and finished 1.1 innings with no earned runs, three walks and two strikeouts.
The 8-2 deficit was the largest Binghamton has trailed by in 19 games, which dates back to July 24 against Portland at Mirabito Stadium when they lost 8-1.
Futrell finished 5.0 innings for Portland, allowing just two earned runs on no walks and striking out eight in his second Double-A start.
Binghamton right-hander Cristofer Gomez made his third Double-A appearance and struck out the side in the sixth inning. He has pitched 5.1 innings with two earned runs and six strikeouts.
In the seventh inning, Portland added two runs to take a 10-2 lead against left-hander Gabby Rodriguez. Third baseman Max Ferguson walked to lead off the inning, and right fielder Nelly Taylor then delivered a two-run home run.
The Rumble Ponies added a run in the top of the eighth inning on four hits. Pitre led off with a single against right-hander Cooper Adams. Catcher Chris Suero followed with a line drive off the left-field wall, sending Pitre to third. Suero was thrown out at second by McDonough and ejected from the game after being called out. Kevin Parada replaced Suero behind the plate for the bottom of the eighth.
Left-hander Tyler Davis entered in relief, and Amick drove in Pitre for his 91st RBI of the year. Nineteen have come with Binghamton across 11 games.
Outfielder JT Benson pitched the bottom of the eighth inning for Binghamton trailing 10-3. It was Benson’s second appearance in his professional career, as he pitched an inning for Single-A St. Lucie this season. After a one-out single to Baez, Benson struck out Ferguson to cap-off a scoreless frame.
Davis pitched a perfect ninth inning to snap Binghamton’s 10-game win streak. It was Binghamton’s first loss since August 1st, and they are now 11-2 in the month of August.
The Rumble Ponies continue a six-game series with the Portland Sea Dogs (Double-A, Boston Red Sox) on Saturday at Delta Dental Park at Hadlock Field. First pitch is set for 6:00 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: Amick Double-A lead 91 RBI (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI)...Pitre 19th multi-hit game (2-for-3, R, HBP)...Cuevas third multi-hit game at Double-A and second of the series (2-for-3, R, 2B)...Suero's 17th multi-hit game (2-for-4)...Voit: 22 runs scored through 14 games (1-for-4, R)...Bay (1-for-4)...Gomez (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO).