BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies (6-14) tallied 10 hits, but the Akron RubberDucks (6-14) offense stays red hot, winning 12-3 at Mirabito Stadium to clinch a series victory.
For the second straight game, Akron unloaded for a big first inning, taking a 4-0 lead.
Left fielder Jaison Chourio slapped a one-out single and then stole second base. Two batters later, with two outs, first baseman Nolan Schubart hammered one to center field that Jose Ramos could not read through the foggy sky, which resulted in a RBI triple and Schubart’s first Double-A triple.
The game was delayed 47 minutes due to rain, and the fog caused both sides to misplay fly balls.
Later in the frame, designated hitter Dean Curley walked, center fielder Aaron Walton walked, setting up shortstop Jose Devers for an RBI single. Walton scored from third on a fielder's fault from first baseman Nick Lorusso on a pick-off.
In the bottom half of the first inning, Binghamton made it 4-1. Lorusso, with one out, skied a pop-fly to second baseman Christian Knapczyk, who could not find the baseball, and it dropped for a single. Two batters later, right fielder Matt Rudick dribbled a single to left field to score Lorusso.
RubberDucks left-hander Rafe Schlesinger, who ranks as Cleveland’s No. 26 prospect and No. 2 left-hander, struck out seven batters through five innings of work, surrendering just one run on five hits.
Binghamton left two on base in the first, second, and fourth innings. In the fourth, left fielder Jaylen Palmer reached on an error, third baseman Nick Roselli singled, but Ramos and Lorusso both went down to end the frame.
The Rumble Ponies had a bullpen game that began with right-hander Danis Correa allowing three earned runs over 0.2 innings pitched. The bullpen settled in following Correa as left-hander Gabby Rodriguez went 2.0 innings scoreless with four strikeouts, and right-hander Justin Armbruester pitched 1.1 innings scoreless.
Right-hander Breandan Girton retired six straight batters with three strikeouts until the seventh inning, when Akron unloaded for four runs in the frame after they did not tally a hit since the first inning to take an 8-1 lead.
Schubart slammed a grand slam for his first Double-A home run and his 21st of the year between Double-A and High-A Lake County. He finished the game with five RBIs.
Girton went 2.2 innings, surrendering four runs on two hits with two walks, but did strike out five batters. Right-hander Garrett Stratton got the ball with Walton off first after a single and two outs, but got out of the jam.
Binghamton tacked on two runs in the seventh inning to make it 8-3. Roselli slapped a one-out double, and then with two outs, Lorusso clubbed a two-run home run for his 16th blast of the year. That ties Ryan Clifford for the Mets Minor League lead in homers.
Stratton was lights out of the bullpen, going 2.0 scoreless frames with three strikeouts. He has struck out 15 batters with no walks over his first nine appearances.
Right-hander Brian Metoyer got the ball for the Ponies in the ninth inning and walked three batters, hitting Knapczyk with a pitch, which scored a run to make it 9-3. Then, third baseman Tyresse Turner smoked a bases-clearing triple to make it 12-3 RubberDucks.
Metoyer was taken out of the game for Roselli, as he is the first position player to pitch this season who is not Wyatt Young. Vincet Perozo entered to play left field, and Palmer went to second, moving Lucky to third. Roselli walked a batter before leaving the inning.
Akron right-hander Zach Jacobs pitched a scoreless ninth to seal it for the RubberDucks as Akron used three different four-run innings to win the game.
The Rumble Ponies close out a three-game series with the Akron RubberDucks (Double-A, Cleveland Guardians) on Sunday at Mirabito Stadium. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on News Radio 1290 AM & 92.1 FM, the WNBF News Radio App, and MiLB.TV
Postgame Notes: Nick Lorusso tallies his 16th homer and his team's leading 16th multi-hit game (2-for-5, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI)...Nick Roselli picks up his 2nd multi-hit game (2-for-4, R, 2B)...Jaylen Palmer hits his 12th double and 7th multi-hit game (2-for-4, 2B)...Matt Rudick (1-for-4, RBI)...Kevin Parada (2-for-4, BB)...Gabby Rodriguez (2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO)...Garrett Stratton (1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO).