HARTFORD, CT – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies racked up a season-best 13 hits, including three apiece from Patrick Mazeika and Jhoan Urena, but still fell to the Hartford Yard Goats, 9-7, on Tuesday night at Dunkin Donuts Park. Mazeika launched his third home run of the season and Urena drove in three in the losing effort.
Trailing by four entering the fifth, the Rumble Ponies’ offense kicked into gear against Hartford starter Parker French. With the bases full, Peter Alonso skipped a single up the middle, plating Marcos Molina and John Mora. Urena tied the game with a two-run triple to the left-field alley against reliever Marc Magliaro, and Levi Michael put Binghamton on top by pulling an RBI single to left.
Binghamton’s one-run lead was short-lived. Binghamton starter Marcos Molina handed out consecutive walks in the bottom of the fifth before ceding to the bullpen. Johnny Magliozzi issued a walk to fill the bases before uncorking a wild pitch, allowing Brendan Rodgers to scamper home with the game-tying run. Mylz Jones pushed the Yard Goats ahead for good by bouncing a two-run single up the middle.
Three Yard Goat relievers combined to stiff-arm Binghamton’s comeback bid. Scott Griggs tossed a scoreless sixth inning, but surrendered a solo homer to Mazeika in the seventh, cutting Hartford’s lead to one. Kevin Taylor doubled to open the eighth, but was stranded in scoring position by a tag-team effort from Logan Cozart and Matt Pierpont. Binghamton went down in order in the ninth as Pierpont claimed his league-leading ninth save.
Molina (0-3) was touched for seven runs on seven hits over 4-1/3 innings in the loss. He walked four and struck out four. Two of Molina’s runs scored under Magliozzi’s watch.
Magliaro (3-1) collected the win thanks to Hartford’s three-run fifth inning.
The Rumble Ponies (14-14) conclude their series in Hartford on Wednesday morning at 10:35 a.m. RHP Mickey Jannies takes the hill against LHP Jack Wynkoop. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 10:20 a.m. and can be heard on CBS Sports Radio 1360 a.m. and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.
POSTGAME NOTES: The three-hour, nine-minute contest was Binghamton’s longest game of the season…Patrick Mazeika had been hitless in his previous 16 at-bats before his three-hit game…Jhoan Urena chipped in with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.