READING, Pa. – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies (9-20) were held to two hits in a 7-2 loss to the Reading Fightin Phils (18-11) on Thursday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. Reading took a 2-0 lead in the series.
For the second straight night, Binghamton took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, and it was again engineered by shortstop Mith Voit.
The Mets' No. 5 prospect walked to lead off the game, then chalked up his first Double-A stolen base before scoring on a balk from right-hander Luke Russo, where he did not signal he would work from the windup with a runner on third base. Russo allowed one run over 4.0 innings of work with three walks and four punchouts.
Binghamton right-hander Dakota Hawkins got the ball for Binghamton and allowed two earned runs with three hits over 3.0 innings, where he struck out five batters in the 7th Double-A start of his career.
In the bottom of the second inning, catcher Guillermo Rosario, in his first Double-A plate appearance, clubbed a two-run home run to give Reading a 2-1 lead. Hawkins retired the final five batters after the home run with three strikeouts.
Right-hander Douglas Orellana entered in relief in the fourth inning and pitched 2.0 scoreless frames, where he only allowed two hits and struck out two batters. Orellana threw 34 pitches with 30 being strikes.
The Rumble Ponies tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fifth inning with right-hander Aaron Combs on the mound. Voit reached for the sixth time in his second Double-A game behind a walk, and he stole second base.
Then, with two outs, as rain started pouring down from First Energy Stadium, third baseman Nick Lorusso skied a fly ball to Raylin Heredia in right field that he dropped, which brought in Voit from second base to tie the game.
Combs finished the inning and did not allow an earned run as right-hander Wen-Hui Pan (W, 1-0) tossed a scoreless sixth inning with one walk and one strikeout.
Binghamton left-hander Gabby Rodriguez (L, 3-2) entered for Binghamton in the bottom of the sixth inning. Rodriguez put the first four batters on as he surrendered two singles and two walks. Rosario brought the first run in via a walk to make it 3-2, as second baseman Luke Ritter scored from third on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 4-2.
Then, with two outs and runners on second and third base, right-hander Justin Armbruester entered out of the bullpen to face Heredia. With two strikes, Heredia lined one off the head of Armbruester, which scored both runs and put Reading on top 6-2.
Armbruester left the game after walking off the mound under his own power.
Against right-hander Brian Metoyer, Reading took a 7-2 lead in the bottom half of the seventh inning. Third baseman Aroon Escobar led off the inning and reached third base on a throwing error by Metoyer. Left fielder Wuilfredo Antunez followed with a walk, but then Ritter grounded into a double-play, which scored a run.
Reading right-hander Daniel Harper shut down Binghamton over 2.0 innings out of the bullpen as he went scoreless, with two hits and two strikeouts.
Binghamton right-fielder Matt Rudick hammered a two-out double in the eighth inning for his 10th double of the year, but was stranded by Harper.
Right-hander Christian McGowan got the ball in the ninth inning and allowed one walk to catcher Chris Suero, which extended his on-base streak to 16 straight games, but went scoreless to shut the door and secure the win.
The Rumble Ponies continue a six-game series with the Reading Fightin Phils (Double-A, Philadelphia Phillies) on Friday at FirstEnergy Stadium. First pitch is set for 7 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: Voit tallied his first two Double-A stolen bases (0-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 SB)...Corey Collins extends his on-base streak to eight games (1-for-3, BB)...Rudick 10th double (1-for-3, 2B, BB)...Wyatt Young (1-for-3, BB)...Orellana (2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO) 34 P, 30 S…Hawkins (3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO).