Binghamton, N.Y. – In the series finale, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (2-10) can only tally one hit and fall to the Chesapeake Baysox (7-4) 2-0 from Mirabito Stadium.
Binghamton has lost five straight games and begins the second half of the season 2-10.
Sunday brought a pitchers' duel to the Southern Tier between Mets No. 7 prospect, the left-hander Jonathan Santucci (2-6), and Orioles No. 3 prospect, the left-hander Luis De León (3-6).
Santucci set a career high with 10 strikeouts over 6.0 innings, surrendering two hits and two runs. The 23-year-old has gone 6.0 innings four times this season, and his 10 punchouts are the most for a Ponies pitcher this year.
De León tossed 5.2 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts, which were both season highs. The 23-year-old just surrendered one hit and walked three batters.
Over the final nine hitters he faced, he walked two, did not allow a hit, and struck out three.
Santucci retired nine straight batters after a walk to left fielder Fredrick Bencosme to lead off the game. In the fourth inning, Chesapeake got on the board and took a 1-0 lead.
Catcher Ethan Anderson and center fielder Thomas Sosa led off the inning with walks and advanced to second and third after a sacrifice bunt from second baseman Griff O’Ferrall.
Santucci walked first baseman Anderson De Los Santos on, but the fourth ball was a wild pitch that scored Anderson.
After Santucci struck out the side in the fifth inning, Chesapeake took a 2-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning and broke up the no-hitter. Bencosme and Anderson tallied back-to-back singles, and Sosa hit a sacrifice fly to score Bencosme.
In the bottom of the sixth, De Leòn walked third baseman Nick Lorusso with two outs as was taken out for right-hander Alex Pham. Lorusso stole second, but Pham struck out first baseman JT Schwartz to end the inning.
Binghamton went to Mets right-hander Dedniel Núñez for his second appearance on a rehab assignment in the seventh inning as he pitched a scoreless frame.
Pham went 1.1 innings scoreless with a strikeout for Chesapeake as right-hander Dannis Correa tossed an inning scoreless with a strikeout for Binghamton.
In the eighth inning, Baysox right-hander Richard Guasch put the Ponies down in order, sending things to the ninth with a 2-0 lead.
Rumble Ponies right-hander Carlos Guzman allowed one hit in the top of the ninth inning and no runs while striking out two. Binghamton’s staff struck out 13 batters in the game and surrendered just three hits.
Chesapeake right-hander Gerald Ogondo (S, 2) got the save in the ninth inning, setting Binghamton down in order.
The Rumble Ponies open up a six-game series with the Hartford Yard Goats (Double-A, Colorado Rockies) on Tuesday 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: Jonathan Santucci sets a season high 10 strikeouts (6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 10 SO)...Dedniel Núñez (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO)...Dannis Corre (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO)...Carlos Guzman (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO)...Nick Lorusso (1-for-3, BB).