BINGHAMTON, NY – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies were held to a pair of hits in 19 at-bats with runners in scoring position in a 7-3 loss to the Hartford Yard Goats on Sunday afternoon at NYSEG Stadium. The Ponies stranded 11 runners, including three in the ninth, in the rubber game loss.

Hartford tossed three runs on the board in a hurry. Omar Carrizales led off the game versus Marcos Molina by scampering to third on a double and an error. Josh Fuentes brought him home with a groundout three pitches later. The Yard Goats put two more aboard with two outs before Dillon Thomas pelted the center-field wall with a two-run double. Thomas added an RBI single against Molina in the third.

Yard Goats starter Yency Almonte kept the Rumble Ponies offense at bay for six innings. After surrendering an RBI double to Luis Guillorme in the first, the righty held Binghamton off the board. Almonte stranded a half-dozen runners and held the Ponies to a 1-for-13 clip with runners in scoring position.

Binghamton’s offense showed signs of life once Almonte ceded to the bullpen. With two aboard against Konner Wade, Guillorme skipped an RBI single into right field. Matt Oberste supplied an RBI fielder’s choice versus DJ Johnson to cut deficit to one.

The Yard Goats kept their foot on the gas pedal against the Rumble Ponies bullpen and extended their advantage. Hartford put a run on the board versus Ben Griset in the eighth before tacking on two more runs with Cory Burns on the mound in the ninth.

Trailing by four, Binghamton filled the bases in the ninth, but came up short. Shane Broyles took over for Johendi Jiminian and retired Oberste and LJ Mazzilli to earn his 11th save.

Molina (0-5) allowed four runs on eight hits over 6-1/3 innings in his fifth loss in as many starts with the Rumble Ponies.

Almonte (4-3) was touched for one unearned run on five hits over six innings in the win.

The Rumble Ponies (46-38) enter the All-Star break in third place in the Eastern Division. Binghamton sits 3-1/2 games behind the second-place Reading Fightin Phils. The Ponies return to the field on Thursday in Reading at 7:05 p.m. 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 hit .162 as a team with runners in scoring position during the three-game series…Binghamton suffered back-to-back series losses for the first time since mid-April…the Ponies fell to 8-6 in rubber games

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