READING, Pa. – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies (27-25) deposited a season-high five home runs, but surrendered a 4-0 lead and were defeated by the Reading Fightin Phils (30-21), 8-6 on Tuesday afternoon at First Energy Stadium.
Reading trailed 6-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning and fought all the way back to take an 8-6 lead. Against right-hander Saul Garcia (L, 1-2), third baseman Carson DeMartini hit a lead-off home run to spark the frame.
Left fielder Pedro Leon walked and catcher Caleb Rickets followed with his second single of the afternoon to send Leon to third base. Leon would later score on a wild-pitch from Garcia to tie the game.
With two outs and Rickets off second base, center fielder Dante Nori, in his first game back since June 6, delivered the go-ahead two-run home run to give the Fightin Phils the lead.
Reading right-hander Estibenzon Jimenez (S, 5) got the three-out save in the ninth inning to shut the door and secure the 8-6 win for Reading.
Binghamton jumped out to a 4-0 lead and the home run outburst started in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead against the Eastern League leader in wins, ERA and strikeouts, left-hander Adam Seminaris.
In his first game back since June 13 coming off the 60-day injured list, left fielder Eli Serrano III hit his fourth Double-A home run. Then in the fourth inning, designated hitter Jefferson Rojas deposited a solo home run to make it 2-0 Binghamton.
Rojas has hit 20 home runs this season at Double-A and five as a member of the New York Mets organization. Four of his homers have come over the last seven games.
Binghamton right-hander Gary Gill Hill and Seminaris both struck out seven batters in the contest. Gill Hill went 5.1 innings pitched and allowed three runs across seven hits as Seminaris pitched 5.2 innings and allowed four runs on five hits .
The Rumble Ponies added two runs in the sixth inning to take a 4-0 advantage. With two outs, third baseman Jacob Reimer walked and center fielder Chris Suero followed with a two-run home run. The 17 home runs for Suero is a career-high after he hit 16 in 2025.
Reading stormed back against Gill Hill to cut the Binghamton lead to 4-3 in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Shortstop Bryan Rincon, Nori and designated hitter Raylin Heredia hit three consecutive one out singles. First baseman Alex Binelas with the bases loaded delivered a two-run double.
Right-hander Cristofer Gomez entered in relief and walked second baseman Aroon Escobar to again load the bases. DeMartini made it a one run game with an RBI single.
In the seventh inning against right-hander Daniel Harper, Binghamton took a 6-3 lead behind back-to-back home runs from right fielder John Bay and first baseman Corey Collins. It was Bay’s first Double-A home run and the seventh for Collins.
The five home runs in the game were the most in a contest all year for Binghamton, after hitting four against Reading at First Energy Stadium on August 1.
The Fightin Phils added a run in the bottom of the seventh inning against right-hander Carlos Guzman. Right fielder Austin Murr led-off the frame with a triple, and Rincon immediately drove him in with a single. Guzman stranded two runners on and got out of the inning.
Right-hander Jack Dallas (W, 2-1) tossed 2.0 scoreless and hitless frames in replacement of Harper to record the win.
The Rumble Ponies continue a six-game series with the Reading Fightin Phils (Double-A, Philadelphia Phillies) on Wednesday at First Energy Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:45 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on News Radio 1290 AM & 92.1 FM, and on the WNBF News Radio App.
Postgame Notes: Rojas 20th Double-A home run and his fourth over his last seven games (1-for-4, R, HR, RBI)...Suero career-high 17 HR (1-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI)...Collins 7th Double-A home run and his third over the last seven days (2-for-3, R, HR, RBI, BB)...Bay 1st Double-A home run (1-for-4, R, HR, RB)...Serrano III first game back off the 60-Day IL (1-for-3, R, HR, RBI, BB)...Gill Hill goes 5.0 innings for the 17th time in his 19 Double-A starts (5.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO).