BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – John Bay delivered a seventh-inning solo home run to lead the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (31-28) past the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (22-37), 1-0, Wednesday night at Mirabito Stadium. It was Binghamton’s fifth shutout win of the season and its second against New Hampshire.
With one out in a 0-0 game in the seventh inning, Bay came to the plate to face right-hander Angel Obando in his second inning of work. Bay delivered the game's only run, a solo shot over the left field wall to make it 1-0 Rumble Ponies.
It was the third Double-A homer for Bay and all three have come in the last two series.
The contest saw 11 combined hits, six from New Hampshire and five from Binghamton. Right-hander Noah Hall tossed 5.0 innings for the fourth time in his sixth Double-A start for Binghamton. He surrendered four hits and did not surrender a run with three walks and three strikeouts.
On the other side, left-hander Johnny King made his fourth Double-A start and also pitched 5.0 scoreless frames and allowed just three hits with eight strikeouts.
New Hampshire left seven runners on base against Hall. In the first inning they stranded the bases loaded after center fielder Mathieu Vallee led-off the game with a single. That was the Fisher Cats' only runner that was 90 feet away from the plate all night.
King faced the minimum over the first three innings before second baseman Marco Vargas walked and third baseman Jacob Reimer singled in the fourth inning. King struck out designated hitter Chris Suero and forced right fielder Eli Serrano III to fly out to stop the threat.
Binghamton threatened in the sixth inning against Obando. Reimer tallied a two-out double and reached on a wild pitch. With Suero in the box, he struck out to keep the game tied at 0-0.
Right-hander Cristofer Gomez pitched 2.0 scoreless innings for Binghamton and left two runners on base. Neither runner got into scoring position.
Binghamton left-hander Felipe De La Cruz handed in a scoreless eighth inning on seven pitches. In the bottom of the seventh inning, New Hampshire right-hander Gage Stanifer hit first baseman Jamari Baylor and Vargas walked before Stanifer struck Reimer and forced Suero to ground out.
Right-hander Bryce Jenkins in his 10th Double-A appearance, notched his first Double-A save with a scoreless ninth inning.
At the time of the final out, Binghamton sits 3.0 games back of a playoff spot. If the Reading Fightin Phils beat the Hartford Yard Goats on Wednesday night, Binghamton will fall to 3.5 games back. A Reading loss, however, would move Binghamton to just 2.5 games back of first place.
The Rumble Ponies continue a six-game series with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Double-A, Toronto Blue Jays) on Thursday at Mirabito Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:07 p.m. The game will be broadcast on MiLB.TV News Radio 1290 AM & 92.1 FM, and on the WNBF News Radio App.
Postgame Notes: Bay third Double-A home run (1-for-3, R, HR, RBI)...Reimer 17th multi-hit game (2-for-4, 2B)...Vargas (1-for-2, 2 BB)...Hall has gone at least 5.0 innings in 4 of 6 Double-A starts (5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO)...Gomez (2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO)...De La Cruz (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO)...Jenkins first Double-A save (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO).