BINGHAMTON, NY – The Hartford Yard Goats pounded out 14 hits and beat the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, 6-3, on Friday night at NYSEG Stadium. Josh Fuentes racked up three hits, including a pair of doubles, to hand PJ Conlon and the Rumble Ponies a series-opening loss.

Hartford broke four innings of gridlock on the bases with an offensive push in the fifth. Following a leadoff double by Omar Carrizales, Drew Weeks skipped an RBI single up the middle. Conlon recorded a pair of outs with two in scoring position, but failed to escape unharmed. Fuentes sent a single off the southpaw’s foot, allowing both runners to scamper home.

Conlon exited the game with the bases loaded in the seventh. Pinch hitter Correlle Prime welcomed Casey Delgado to the mound by pulling a two-run single into left-field, kicking the Yard Goats lead to five. Drew Weeks added an RBI triple in the eighth against Kelly Secrest.

Yard Goats starter Parker French issued a career-high six walks, but was never forced to pay a price. In his first four innings, the righty stranded all seven Ponies that reached base and held Binghamton hitless in eight at-bats with runners in scoring position. French needed just 13 pitches to keep blank the Ponies in the fifth and sixth, his final two innings.

Binghamton’s lone offensive production came with two outs in the eighth inning against Matt Pierpont. David Thompson pulled an RBI double down the line, plating Matt Oberste from first. Two batters later, Tomas Nido floated a two-run double into left, cutting the deficit to three.

Shane Broyles slammed the door on the Ponies hopes of a comeback and earned his tenth save with three strikeouts in a scoreless ninth

Conlon (5-7) allowed five runs on nine hits over 6-2/3 innings in the loss, extending his winless streak to eight games. The southpaw surrendered three extra-base hits and walked five, matching a season-high.

The Rumble Ponies (45-37) continue their final series before the All-Star break on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. RHP Corey Oswalt takes the mound against RHP Ryan Castellani. 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: Tomas Nido’s double in the eighth ended a stretch of ten consecutive hitless at-bats for the Rumble Ponies with runners in scoring position...Binghamton was out-hit by double-digits for the first time since August 24, 2016 when Hartford out-hit Binghamton 17-5…Casey Delgado’s relief appearance was his first at the Double-A level

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