BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies (7-18) offense stalled as they fell to the Portland Sea Dogs (16-9), 8-1 at Mirabito Stadium on Friday night.
The Rumble Ponies got on the board first in the third inning for the first time this series to take a 1-0 lead. Second baseman Jaylen Palmer led off the inning with a walk and then stole second base to set up catcher Chris Suero for an RBI double.
Suero has 34 RBIs on the year and was one of Binghamton’s two hits. Center fielder John Bay had a fifth-inning double but was stranded.
Binghamton right-hander Danis Correa started the game and handed in 2.0 scoreless innings, followed by 1.2 scoreless innings from left-hander Felipe De La Cruz.
Right-hander Douglas Orellana allowed six runs in the fifth inning, with three of them being earned as Portland took a 6-1 lead.
In the frame, Portland walked four times, reached base on a dropped third strike, and scored on an error. Catcher Nate Baez, with the bases loaded, brought in two runs as third baseman JT Schwartz could not field a ground ball cleanly.
Center fielder Miguel Bleis walked in a run, and then shortstop Mason White delivered a sacrifice fly, which scored two runs. On the throw home from Bay, Suero made a throw to third base that went into left field, scoring Bleis, and it added a second error to the inning.
Portland did not tally one hit in the fifth inning. In the sixth inning, they took an 8-1 lead.
First baseman Brooks Brannon hit his 17th home run of the year by way of a two-run home run to right field off right-hander Brendan Girton. It was the only run Portland scored off a hit all night.
Girton went 3.2 innings and allowed two hits and two runs, with three strikeouts. He was followed by right-hander Brian Metoyer, who handed in a scoreless ninth inning.
Portland struck out 15 Binghamton hitters and surrendered just two hits. Left-hander Dalton Rogers struck out five batters over 3.0 innings and surrendered one run while walking six batters.
Left-hander Jeremy Wu-Yelland was outstanding for Portland as he spun 3.0 scoreless frames with six strikeouts, and right-hander Max Carlosn went scoreless with four punchouts and no walks over the final 3.0 innings.
Portland retired 11 straight Binghamton batters to close out the game and did not allow one hit over the final three innings.
Binghamton has struck out 34 times over the last two games and trails the series 3-1.
The Rumble Ponies continue a six-game series with the Portland Sea Dogs (Double-A, Boston Red Sox) on Saturday at Mirabito Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:07 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: Suero 34th RBI (1-for-3, 2B, RBI)...John Bay first Double-A double (1-for-3, BB)...Correa handed in his longest scoreless start with Binghamton (2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO)...De La Cruz got up to 98 MPH on his fastball (1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO).