Binghamton, N.Y. – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies (20-34) win in walk-off fashion for the sixth time this season and take a 2-1 series lead, sneaking past the Reading Fightin Phils (24-30), 2-1 in 10 innings, from Mirabito Stadium.
In the bottom of the 10th inning, right fielder Eli Serrano III delivered a sacrifice bunt to send catcher Chris Suero to third base. That set up second baseman D’Andre Smith, who roped a walk-off single to win it 2-1.
Binghamton tallied its sixth walk-off win of the year and its fifth extra-inning victory, and it was their third extra-inning game of the 12-game homestand.
Reading and Binghamton both sent top 30 prospects to the rubber for the start.
Right-hander Brendan Girton got the ball for Binghamton, making his 11th start of the year. Girton, the Mets’ No. 28 prospect, took a shutout into the fifth inning, but after allowing a hit and a walk, he left the game with an apparent lower-body injury.
Binghamton left-hander Felipe De La Cruz rushed out of the bullpen to take the ball and struck out two in the inning while surrendering a sacrifice fly to right fielder Cade Fergus to tie the game 1-1. De La Cruz pitched a season-high 2.0 innings with two strikeouts.
Reading gave the ball to their number No. 2 prospect and No. 1 pitching prospect, Gage Wood, for his third Double-A start.
Binghamton got to Wood early, as Eli Serrano III, the second batter of the game, blasted a solo home run to give Binghamton a 1-0 lead. It was Serrano’s third blast of the year and his first from Mirabito Stadium.
Wood got through 4.0 innings, allowing four hits and just the one earned run, but he did not walk a batter while striking out four.
Binghamton had six hits through six innings and left six on base in that stretch.
Binghamton threatened in the fifth inning with two runners on for second baseman D’Andre Smith, who roped a ground ball, but it hit off of Serrano’s foot, who led off first for the second out. Right-hander Evan Gates got out of the jam to keep the game tied.
Gates pitched two scoreless innings for Reading, allowing two hits and striking out one batter.
Left-hander Jefry Yan pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth inning with five strikeouts, with three coming in the eighth inning.
Binghamton right-hander Dan Hammer (3-0) went toe-to-toe with right-hander Alex McFarlane of Reading in the final frames.
Hammer threw 2.0 perfect innings in the ninth and tenth innings with three strikeouts, as McFarlane allowed one hit over the eighth and ninth innings, punching out three batters.
Binghamton holds its first series lead at home since April 8 against Somerset, as they eventually won the six-game series 4-2.
The Rumble Ponies continue a six-game series against the Reading Fightin Phils (Double-A, Philadelphia Phillies) on Friday at Mirabito Stadium. First pitch is set for 7:03 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on News Radio 1290 AM & 92.1 FM, the WNBF News Radio App, and on SNY.
Postgame Notes: Eli Serrano III blasts his third home run of the year (1-for-2, RBI, HR, 2 BB)...D’Andre Smith reached base four times and tallied his fifth multi-hit game (2-for-4, RBI, HBP)...JT Schwartz is hitting 11-29 (.379) on this home stand (1-for-4)...Jaylen Palmer has five doubles on this home stand and tallied his fourth multi-hit game (2-for-4, 2B)...Kevin Villavicencio has two multi-hit games in his first two games with Binghamton (2-for-4)...Brendan Girton (4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO)...Felipe De La Cruz has gone scoreless over his last 8.0 innings and five appearances (2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO)...Jefry Yan ties a season high five strikeouts that he set on April 11 against Somerset (2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO)...Dan Hammer (3-0) (2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO).