BINGHAMTON, NY – Kevin Kaczmarski and Kevin Taylor each delivered walk-off hits to send the Binghamton Rumble Ponies to a pair of victories over the Portland Sea Dogs on Sunday afternoon at NYSEG Stadium. Kaczmarski’s double gave Binghamton a 1-0 victory in the completion of a suspended game before Taylor’s single sealed a 4-3 come-from-behind win. The Rumble Ponies extended their winning streak to seven games and lowered their magic number to clinch the postseason to four.

 

Game 1 – Binghamton 1, Portland 0

The relief pitching shined as the Ponies and Sea Dogs resumed their game that had been halted in the top of the fourth inning on Saturday due to heavy rain. Binghamton reliever Drew Smith kept Portland off the board with 2-2/3 scoreless innings. The righty struck out the final seven Sea Dogs he faced.

Taylor Grover blanked the Ponies for four innings, dodging a major threat in the seventh when LJ Mazzilli popped out into a double play on a bunt attempt

Binghamton finally broke through in the eighth against Ty Buttrey. Following a one-out walk to Luis Guillorme, Kevin Kaczmarski scorched a 1-2 pitch off the right-field wall. Guillorme scampered home with the game-winning run, sending the Ponies to their sixth walk-off win of the season.

Tim Peterson (5-3) earned the win after tossing two scoreless innings.

 

Game 2 – Binghamton 4, Portland 3

Trailing by three, the Ponies started their push in the sixth inning. Portland starter Teddy Stankiewicz had held Binghamton at bay over five scoreless innings, but allowed two to reach. Reliever Bobby Poyner took over with one out and surrendered an RBI single to Patrick Mazieka, trimming the lead to two.

Binghamton completed the comeback in the seventh. Following a walk to Luis Guillorme and a single by Kevin Kaczmarski, Matt Oberste deposited an RBI single to center. David Thompson tied the game with a run-scoring groundout to second, setting the stage for Kevin Taylor. The Ponies designated hitter ripped a 2-2 pitch down the right-field line to bring in Oberste from second with the game-winning run

The four unanswered runs made a winner of starter Corey Oswalt (10-5). After allowing a three-run homer to Jeremy Barfield in the first inning, Oswalt bounced back to close his day with six scoreless innings. He struck out five and allowed six hits over seven innings in his second complete game of the season.

The Rumble Ponies (75-49) open a three-game series at home against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Monday at 6:35 p.m. RHP Matt Harvey returns to the Southern Tier for the first time since 2011 for a Major League rehab appearance. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting at 6:20 p.m. on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: The Rumble Ponies are 14-3 in their last 17 games…the Rumble Ponies have swept four of their last five series…Binghamton improved to 14-3 in their last 17 games at NYSEG Stadium

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