Richmond, VA – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies (15-27) use a seven-run ninth inning in the pouring rain to storm past the Richmond Flying Squirrels (29-12), 9-2 from CarMax Park. Binghamton leads the series 2-1 and accounts for two of Richmond’s four home losses.
In the ninth inning, in the pouring rain, Richmond and Binghamton were tied at 2-2 until Binghamton took advantage of the weather to take a 9-2 lead.
Centerfielder D’Andre Smith gave Binghamton the lead 4-2 on a sacrifice fly to the center fielder Bo Davidson, who dropped the ball, and it scored two runs.
In the inning, Richmond right-handers Mitch White and Dylan Hecht walked six batters, hit two batters, and eight consecutive hitters reached base. Binghamton scored seven runs on one hit in the inning.
The bottom of the eighth inning is when Richmond tied the game at 2-2 behind a two-run double from left fielder Parks Harber. Right-hander Douglas Orellana surrendered two hits and two runs in the frame.
The scoreboard opened in the top of the sixth inning as the Rumble Ponies captured a 2-0 lead.
Second baseman Wyatt Young beat out an infield single to Richmond’s first baseman Charlie Szykowny on a headfirst slide, and shortstop Marco Vargas followed with a single. Two batters later, right fielder Eli Serrano III roped a two-run double with two outs. It was Serrano’s 14th extra-base hit of the season.
Left-hander Cesar Perdomo was lights out for Richmond, retiring the first nine batters he faced, and 15 of the first 16 batters. Binghamton got him out of the game after the RBI double from Serrano.
Right-hander R.J. Gordon made his third start for Binghamton after he was activated off the injured list on May 10. It was a season best for Gordon, throwing 44 pitches over 3.1 innings, and did not allow a run across two hits.
The Binghamton bullpen dazzled in the victory, using four pitchers to pull past Richmond.
Left-hander Max Green followed Gordon, pitching 2.2 innings in relief, and retired the first seven batters he faced. Then, in the bottom of the sixth inning, Richmond threatened with runners on first and third with two outs, but Green punched out center fielder Bo Davidson to stop the threat.
Left-hander Felipe De La Cruz got the ball in the seventh inning and sent down Richmond in order with two strikeouts. He holds a 2.19 ERA across 12.1 innings pitched.
After Orellana pitched the eighth inning, right-hander Brian Metoryer pitched the ninth to stop any miraculous comeback from Richmond and pitched a scoreless inning.
The Flying Squirrels hold the best offense in the Eastern League and entered the game hitting .295 as a team. The Rumble Ponies held them to two runs and six hits. The two runs for Richmond mark just the second time they have scored two runs or fewer.
Binghamton now leads the series 2-1 against the second-best team in Minor League Baseball.
Postgame Notes: Eli Serrano III tallied his 14th XBH (1-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI)...Marco Vargas recorded his sixth multi-hit game (2-for-4, R, BB, SB)...Jacob Reimer stroked his fourth double over his last seven games (1-for-4, 2 R, 2B, BB)...Wyatt Young (1-for-3, 2 R, BB)...D’Andre Smith had the go-ahead sacrifice fly (0-for-4, R, RBI)...R.J. Gordon set a season best for innings pitched, hits, runs, and strikeouts (3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO)...Max Green (2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO)...Felipe De La Cruz (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO)...