AKRON, OH – Akron center fielder Ka’ai Tom blasted a two-run homer in a game-changing seven-run fifth inning and added a pair of critical inning-ending catches to send the RubberDucks to a 7-5 win over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies on Monday night at Canal Park. Binghamton failed to protect a five-run lead and watched their four-game winning streak come to an end.

Mark Mathias opened the pivotal fifth inning by skipping a single up the middle and was quickly brought home on Connor Marabell’s scorched triple to the right-field corner. Andrew Calica followed with an RBI single before Tom blasted a game-tying two-run homer to right. Joe Sever chased Ponies startet Andrew Church from the game, and put Akron on top, with an RBI double. Before reliever Adonis Uceta could collect the final two outs of the inning, Akron tacked on one more run.

Tom showed off the leather and robbed Ponies catcher Patrick Mazeika on two different occasions. With a runner in scoring position in the fourth, Tom made a running catch on the warning track to keep the Ducks within five runs. Binghamton trailed by two and filled the bases in the sixth, but Tom tracked down Mazeika’s long fly ball to the deepest part of the park to end the inning.

Four RubberDucks relievers combined to hold Binghamton to one run over 6-2/3 innings. Dominic DeMasi (3-1) claimed the win in relief, chipping in with 2-2/3 innings after replacing Mingo in the third. Nick Pasquale added 1-1/3 blank innings and left the bases loaded in the sixth. Henry Martinez notched the final four outs of the game to claim his first save as a RubberDuck.

Akron’s seven-run inning washed away Binghamton’s strong offensive start. Peter Alonso put Binghamton on the board, and extended his hitting streak to eight games, with an RBI single in the first against Akron starter Cameron Mingo. Patrick Mazeika added a run-producing single in the third before Binghamton grabbed a five-run lead on a Sicnarf Loopstok passed ball in the fourth.

Church (0-4) had cruised through four scoreless innings, but was derailed in the fifth. The righty was charged with seven runs (six earned) on eight hits over 4-1/3 innings in the loss.

Mingo, called up from extended spring training, allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits in 2-1/3 innings and took the no-decision in his Double-A debut.

The Rumble Ponies (11-10) continue their three-game visit to Akron on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. RHP Nabil Crismatt takes the mound against LHP Sean Brady. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 6:20 p.m. and can be heard on NewsRadio 1290 WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: The seven runs allowed were the most Binghamton has surrendered in one inning since June 21, 2017 against the Bowie Baysox (7 runs, 8th inning)…the Ponies reached double digits in hits for the third time in four games…Binghamton’s four-game winning streak was their longest of the season