READING, Pa. – Right-hander R.J. Gordon recorded seven strikeouts over 7.0 innings in the start, but the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (9-21, 36-63) fell to the Reading Fightin Phils, 6-5, in walk-off fashion on Friday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Gordon spun a season-high and career-high-tying 7.0 innings with a season-high-tying seven strikeouts, while allowing three runs on six hits and no walks. It marked the fourth time in Gordon’s career that he went 7.0 innings in a start. Over his last two starts, Gordon has combined for 14 strikeouts and just four earned runs allowed over 12.0 innings.
With Binghamton leading 5-3 in the eighth inning, right-hander Saul Garcia came in to relieve Gordon. Garcia allowed an RBI single to first baseman Alex Binelas that cut Binghamton’s lead to 5-4.
In the ninth inning, right-hander Garrett Stratton came in for the save opportunity. With one out, Stratton allowed back-to-back singles to catcher Caleb Ricketts and second baseman Luke Ritter. Left fielder Riley Tirotta followed with an RBI groundout that scored Ricketts to tie the game 5-5. Later in the inning, center fielder Pedro León hit a walk-off single that scored Ritter from second to win the game for Reading, 6-5.
It marked Binghamton’s second walk-off loss and Stratton’s second blown save and loss of the series.
Binghamton raced out to a 2-0 lead against right-hander Gage Wood in the third inning. Designated hitter Chris Suero and third baseman Nick Lorusso blasted back-to-back home runs off Wood, the Philadelphia Phillies’ top prospect. It marked Suero’s 13th home run and Lorusso’s 17th long ball of the season.
Reading (19-11, 49-50) tied the game against Gordon in the fourth inning on Binelas’ two-run home run, which made it 2-2.
In the top of the fifth, Binghamton scored two more runs to grab a 4-2 lead. Suero singled to begin the inning and right fielder Jose Ramos singled with one out, which knocked Wood out of the game and brought in left-hander Tristan Garnett. Later in the inning, catcher Kevin Parada hit a go-ahead two-run single with two outs.
The Fightin Phils scraped another run across in the bottom of the fifth inning on shortstop Bryan Rincon’s solo home run, which cut the Rumble Ponies’ lead to 4-2.
Binghamton extended its lead to 5-2 in the eighth inning when first baseman JT Schwartz blasted an opposite-field home run off right-hander Evan Gates.
Reading scored three unanswered runs over the final two frames to claim its third walk-off win of the series.
The Rumble Ponies continue this six-game series against the Fightin Phils with a doubleheader on Saturday, at FirstEnergy Stadium. First pitch is slated for 4:30 p.m. The games will be broadcast on WNBF News Radio 1290 & 92.1 FM.
Postgame Notes: Second baseman Mitch Voit went 2-for-4 with a walk, reached base three times, and has reached base nine times over his first three games with Double-A Binghamton…Lorusso (2-for-5, HR, RBI, R, 2 K) recorded his team-leading 17th multi-hit game…Parada (2-for-5, 2 RBI, 2B, K) recorded his fourth multi-hit game and first multi-RBI game…Suero (2-for-5, HR, RBI, 2 R, K) recorded his 15th multi-hit game and extended his on-base streak to 17 games…Shortstop Wyatt Young (1-for-2, 2 BB) reached base three times and has reached base at least twice in three of his last four contests…Binghamton finished the month of July with a 7-16 record.