Binghamton, N.Y. – On Independence Day and America’s 250th anniversary, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (2-9) can’t crawl back late and fall to the Chesapeake Baysox (6-4), 5-3 from Mirabito Stadium.
The Ponies scored in the first inning for the third time in this series, taking a 1-0 lead
Third baseman Nick Lorusso walked with two outs, and first baseman JT Schwartz followed with his 13th double of the year to score Lorusso. Schwartz has doubled in the first inning in back-to-back games.
Right-hander Bryce Conley got the ball for Binghamton, going 5.0 innings and allowing four runs, with three of them being earned.
In the second inning, the Baysox tied the game at 1-1 using no hits. Right fielder Tavian Josenberger walked, stole second base, and reached third on a throwing error from Binghamton catcher Vincent Perozo that went into center field.
Third baseman Carter Young tallied an RBI groundout to score Josenberger. Shortstop Willy Vazquez walked with two outs and stole second base before Conley picked him off to end the frame.
Chesapeake took a 2-1 lead in the third inning off just one hit. Second baseman Aron Estrada led off the frame with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Two batters later, designated hitter Thomas Sosa smacked a ground ball to second baseman Nick Roselli, who booted it to score Estrada. Binghamton made two errors over the first three innings.
Binghamton tied the game 2-2 in the fourth inning, behind two hits. Right fielder Matt Rudick led off the frame with a single and stole his seventh base to set up shortstop Kevin Villavicencio, who brought him in on an RBI single.
The Baysox answered right back off of Conley in the fifth inning, taking a 4-2 lead. The frame was highlighted by an RBI single from left fielder Fredrick Bencosme and an RBI double from Josenberger.
Left-hander Sebastian Gongora retired his final five batters, going 6.0 innings for the fourth time this season. Gongora struck out six and surrendered six hits as two runs crossed the plate.
Binghamton right-hander Garrett Stratton entered in relief for Binghamton, going 2.0 innings scoreless with three strikeouts and one hit in the sixth inning, which was a Vazquez double.
The Ponies' offense left seven on through seven innings, after designated hitter Chris Suero walked for the 47th time this season in the seventh inning. He stole his second base for his 22nd stolen base before being stranded at third as right-hander Ryan Long got Lorusso to fly out.
Rumble Ponies right-hander Brian Metoyer got the ball in the eighth inning and surrendered a lead-off single to first baseman Anderson De Los Santos, who reached third after a wild pitch and a ground out.
Metoyer then threw his second wild pitch, which scored De Los Santos to make it 5-2 Baysox. He got out of the inning, allowing two hits, one run, and striking out a batter.
In the bottom of the eighth inning off of Long, Rudick hammered his second home run of the year by way of a solo shot to make it 5-3 Chesapeake. Rudick, over the last two games, has scored five times.
Long got left fielder Jaylen Palmer to line out to center fielder Doug Hodo to end the inning.
Left-hander Gabby Rodriguez took the mound in the top of the ninth inning for Binghamton. He faced the minimum with two strikeouts.
Chesapeake left-hander Micah Ashman got his third save of the year in his 20th outing in the ninth inning, striking out three batters and walking Roselli with one out.
The Baysox lead the series 4-1, and Binghamton has lost every series since June 7 against Reading.
The Rumble Ponies close out a six-game series with the Chesapeake Baysox (Double-A, Baltimore Orioles) 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: JT Schwartz tallies his 13th double (1-for-4, 2B, RBI)...Kevin Villavicencio picks up his 6th Double-A RBI (1-for-4, RBI)...Matt Rudick has scored five runs over the last two games (2-for-4, 2 R, HR, RBI, SB)...Nick Lorusso (1-for-3, R, BB)...Chris Suero has walked 47 times this year, which is in the top five in the Eastern League (0-for-3, 2 BB, SB)...Garrett Stratton has gone scoreless in five of six appearances (2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO)...Gabby Rodriguez (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO).