HARTFORD, Conn. – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies (4-11) offense came alive behind ten hits and a Rudick three-run home run to take down the Hartford Yard Goats (6-9), 7-3 at Dunkin’ Park on Thursday night.
Yard Goats left-hander Stu Flesland III was flawless to begin, retiring nine straight batters with five strikeouts. He finished 4.0 innings scoreless with six strikeouts and one hit in just his second Double-A start.
Hartford took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning behind two hits.
Designated hitter Dyan Jorge walked to lead off the frame, second baseman Roc Riggio singled, which set up catcher Jack O’Dowd, who delivered a sacrifice fly.
Right-hander R.J. Gordon continued his masterful July, setting a new season high of 5.2 innings pitched, surrendering three runs with five strikeouts and just two walks.
The Rumble Ponies took a 2-1 lead in the top half of the fifth inning.
Right fielder Matt Rudick led off the frame with a double, as second baseman Nick Lucky trailed him with a single. Shortstop Kevin Villavicencio then tallied an RBI single, for his eighth Double-A RBI to make it 1-1.
Two batters later, third baseman Nick Roselli blooped an RBI single into center field, which scored Lucky, and it gave Binghamton the lead.
Hartford answered with a run in the bottom half of the fifth to tie the game at 2-2.
With two outs, Jorge roped a double into right-center field, and Riggio then followed with a double for his 40th RBI of the year. Gordon got O’Dowd to ground out to end the inning.
The Rumble Ponies exploded in the sixth inning off of right-hander Fisher Jameson, to take a 6-2 lead.
Center fielder Jose Ramos led off with a walk, followed by a single from first baseman Nick Lorusso, and then catcher Kevin Parada chopped a ball over the head of Torres at third base to score Ramos and make it 3-2.
One batter later, Rudick demolished a three-run home run into the second deck in right field for his third home run of the year. After the first four hitters reached off of Jameson, the next three went down in order.
Gordon got the ball in the sixth inning and recorded two outs until center fielder GJ Hill doubled. Left fielder Mike Antico then knocked Gordon out of the game at 86 pitches with a broken bat double to make it 6-3.
Right-hander Brian Metoyer entered in relief with Torres hitting, but didn’t have to get him out as Antico stole third and tried to head home when Parada spiked his throw, but Parada flipped to Metoyer at the plate to tag him out.
Binghamton added a run in the seventh inning to take a 7-3 lead behind two hits.
Designated hitter Chris Suero slapped his second double of the night and stole his team-leading 24th base to set up Ramos, who chalked an RBI single for his team-leading 47th RBI.
Metoyer got around two base runners in a scoreless seventh inning and finished 1.1 scoreless innings with one hit and two strikeouts.
Right-hander Justin Armbruester got the ball for Binghamton in the bottom half of the eighth inning and faced just three batters, striking out the side.
Jameson settled in and retired seven straight batters, but the damage was done, allowing seven earned runs on nine hits over 5.0 innings.
In the bottom of the ninth, right-hander Saul Garcia made his second appearance of the series and pitched a scoreless frame to seal the win.
Binghamton takes their first 2-1 series lead since June 4, against Reading from Mirabito Stadium.
The Rumble Ponies continue a six-game series with the Hartford Yard Goats (Double-A, Colorado Rockies) on Friday at Dunkin' Donuts Park. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on News Radio 1290 AM & 92.1 FM, and the WNBF News Radio App.
Postgame Notes: Rudick mashes his third home run in his 17 games back with Binghamton (2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI)...Suero has a team lead 24 stolen bases (2-for-5, 2 R, 2 2B)...Ramos holds a team lead of 47 RBIs (1-for-3 R, RBI, BB, SB)...Parada (1-for-4, R, RBI)...Roselli (1-for-4, RBI)….Villavicencio (1-for-4, RBI)...Lucky (1-for-4, R)...Gordon sets a season high in innings pitched (5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO)...Metoyer extends his team leads in strikeouts with 50 (1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO)...Garcia (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO).