BINGHAMTON, NY – Matt Oberste belted a tiebreaking three-run homer in the sixth and Kevin Kaczmarski diffused a ninth-inning rally with a diving, game-ending catch in the Binghamton Rumble Ponies’ 6-4 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Thursday night at NYSEG Stadium. Robert Gsellman allowed three hits to six batters faced in his first Major League rehab appearance with Binghamton.

Homerless in his previous 24 games, Oberste stepped to the plate with the game knotted at three following a game-tying sacrifice fly from Champ Stuart. The first baseman belted Kender Villegas’ 2-2 pitch over the left-field wall, pushing the Ponies ahead for good and snapping the team’s 11-game home run drought.

New Hampshire pulled within two on a solo blast by Emilio Guerrero in the eighth. The Fisher Cats filled the bases with two outs in the ninth against Corey Taylor and forced Luis Rojas to dip further into his bullpen. Harold Ramirez flared Cory Burns’ first pitch into shallow right. Kaczmarski raced in and made a full-extension diving catch to send Binghamton to their second straight win.

The Fisher Cats had opened the game by striking for a run in the first against Gsellman. New Hampshire turned a pair of seeing-eye singles, an infield dribbler and a walk into the game’s first tally. Gsellman ceded to Casey Delgado after facing six batters.

Delgado (7-5) fired 6-1/3 innings and carried the game to the eighth inning. The righty allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits to pick up the win. Burns needed only one pitch to notch his 14th save.

New Hampshire starter Conner Greene took a no-decision after walking six Rumble Ponies in five innings of work. Villegas (1-3) suffered his first blown save.

The Rumble Ponies (57-44) continue their series against the Fisher Cats on Friday at 7:05 PM. LHP PJ Conlon takes the mound against RHP Ryan Borucki. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting at 6:50 PM on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: Matt Oberste’s homer was Binghamton’s first since Kevin Kaczmarski went deep against Reading on July 16…Cory Burns has converted ten straight save chances…the Rumble Ponies have won five of their last six 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