BINGHAMTON, NY – Champ Stuart’s two home run effort was not enough as the Binghamton Rumble Ponies dropped the series decider, 5-4, to the Bowie Baysox Thursday night at NYSEG Stadium. The Baysox roughed up the Binghamton bullpen for the second straight night, using a four-run seventh inning to grab a late-game lead. The Rumble Ponies scored all of their runs with two outs for the second straight night.

After tossing six strong frames, Corey Oswalt gave way for Cory Taylor in the seventh inning, leading 2-1. Adam Brett Walker greeted Taylor with a game-tying solo home run, his fourth in just nine games with Bowie. After allowing an Audry Perez single and a Stevie Wilkerson walk, Erick Salcedo knocked into a fielder’s choice for the first out. That set up Cedric Mullins with two men aboard, and the leadoff hitter smashed a long ball over the right field fence to propel the Baysox in front, 5-2.

Taylor (4-4) had his four-game scoreless streak snapped in the loss. He gave up four earned runs in two innings, while issuing one walk and one strikeout.

The Ponies responded quickly in the home half of the seventh, though, when Gustavo Nunez’s double put a man in scoring position for Stuart. The Rumble Ponies centerfielder mashed his second two-run homer of the game over the left field fence, slicing the deficit to 5-4.

Tim Berry kept the Binghamton bats silent in the final two innings to earn his third save of the season.

Matthew Grimes (3-6) hurled seven innings, with all four runs on his card courtesy of Stuart. Grimes allowed Stuart’s first two-run dinger in the second inning, after Erick Salcedo commited a two-out throwing error which allowed Stuart to hit in the frame. Grimes gave up just five hits and whiffed a pair of Rumble Ponies.

The Rumble Ponies (37-29) hit the road for a weeklong trip starting in New Hampshire. Marcos Molina gets the ball in Friday’s series opener at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium. First pitch is slated for 7:05 PM. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting at 6:50 PM on News Radio 1290 WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: After starting 30-0, the Rumble Ponies have lost back-to-back games when leading after five innings…13 of Binghamton’s 18 runs in the series scored with two outs…Champ Stuart is the third Rumble Pony to record a multi-home run game (Dale Burdick and David Thompson)…

Tickets for Binghamton’s entire home schedule can be purchased at the NYSEG Stadium box office, online on www.bingrp.com and over the phone at (607) 722-FUNN.

 

– Submitted