ERIE, PA – Erie catcher Grayson Greiner hit a pair of three-run homers to lead the SeaWolves past the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, 7-2, on Wednesday night at UPMC Park. Greiner handed the Ponies their second straight loss by homering in his third straight game and compiling a career-high six RBI game.

Greiner snapped a tie game with his first blast in the fifth inning. With two aboard, the SeaWolves backstop launched a 0-1 pitch from Mickey Jannis over the left-field fence, pushing Erie to a three-run lead. He went deep again in the sixth, depositing Scarlyn Reyes’ second pitch onto the roof of the arena beyond the left-field wall.

The power surge from Greiner came after the Ponies and SeaWolves traded single tallies in the first inning. Binghamton pushed the game’s first run across with a run-producing double play. Mike Gerber countered for Erie with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the frame.

Jannis shook off Gerber’s single and retired ten straight Erie hitters before falling into trouble in the fifth. The knuckleballer allowed a double to Gabriel Quintana and walked Kody Eaves before Greiner’s first homer. Jannis walked two in the sixth before ceding to Reyes.

Erie starter Artie Lewicki (4-2) allowed two runs on six hits over 5-2/3 innings and earned the win in his third start against Binghamton this season. Kevin Taylor provided the Ponies’ only other run off Lewicki with an RBI double in the sixth.

Jannis (4-2) surrendered six runs on five hits in 5-2/3 innings in the defeat, his first since May 6. He allowed two home runs in a game for the first time with Binghamton.

The Rumble Ponies (34-25) conclude their visit to Erie on Thursday at 12:05 PM. LHP PJ Conlon faces RHP AJ Ladwig. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting at 11:50 AM on CBS Sports Radio 1360 AM WYOS and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: Binghamton went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position; the Rumble Ponies have two hits in their last 26 at-bats with runners in scoring position…three SeaWolf relievers combined to retire the final nine Ponies hitters of the game…the Ponies slipped to third place in the Eastern Division with the loss and the Reading Fightin Phils victory.

 

– Submitted article