ALTOONA, PA – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies stranded a dozen runners, including five in the last two innings, in a 6-5 loss to the Altoona Curve on Thursday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The Ponies plated two in the ninth, but left the bases loaded in the rubber game loss.

Trailing by three, the Ponies offense came alive in the sixth. After chasing Alex McRae from the game, Tyler Moore greeted Tate Scioneaux with an RBI single and Dale Burdick walked with the bases loaded to cut the deficit to one. The bases remain loaded in the sixth, but the Ponies failed to push the tying run across.

Binghamton’s inability to get over the hump became a recurring theme. Down 6-3 entering the eighth, the Ponies put two into scoring position with no outs, but failed to score.

In the ninth, Binghamton plated two runs in a hurry against Montana Durapau. LJ Mazzilli stroked an RBI double to left-center and David Thompson made it a one-run game with a groundout. The Rumble Ponies filled the bases again, but Durapau retired Tyler Moore and fanned Dale Burdick to notch his league-leading 13th save.

The Curve offense had set the tone early by plating two runs in the first against Mickey Jannis. In the second, Elvis Escobar threaded a two-run homer, his second of the season, inside the right-field foul pole.

The Curve’s offensive roll continued after the Rumble Ponies dipped into the bullpen. Jerrick Suiter greeted Corey Taylor with a single to start the sixth before scoring on a fielder’s choice.

Jannis (5-4) allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits over five innings in the loss.

The Rumble Ponies (45-36) return home to start a three-game series against the Hartford Yard Goats on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. LHP PJ Conlon takes the mound against RHP Parker French. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting at 6:50 p.m. on News Radio 1290 WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: Binghamton fell to 9-5 in rubber games…Kevin Kaczmarski recorded his fifth three-hit game of the season…Scarlyn Reyes tossed a scoreless eighth, extending his scoreless streak to 8.2 innings

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