BINGHAMTON – In their first visit to NYSEG Stadium in 2018, the Curve bashed three home runs en route to a 12-3 victory on Tuesday night against the Rumble Ponies. The Double-A Pirates sent eight batters to the plate in back-to-back frames, scoring 11 runs from the fourth through sixth innings.

Altoona’s onslaught kicked off in the fourth inning, trailing 2-0. After Ke’Bryan Hayes tripled off the top of the right-center field wall, Jason Martin tied the game with his ninth home run of the season. Martin’s two-hit effort on Tuesday was his fifth straight multi-hit game. After getting the next two outs, Rumble Ponies starter Joseph Shaw struggled to cap the frame. After issuing a two out walk to Logan Hill, Christian Kelly extended the rally with a single. Logan Ratledge, the seventh batter of the inning, launched his first home run of the season, stretching the Altoona lead to 5-2. The Curve scored their quintet on four fourth-inning hits, sending eight men to the dish.

The Curve continued to challenge the Ponies in the fifth inning. With two on and one gone, Will Craig brought in the first of his five RBI with a two-run single to left field. Bryan Reynolds followed with a run-scoring double, before Kelly pushed home Craig with a groundout. Altoona’s lead would balloon to 8-2 at the end of five.

Shaw (1-4) was yanked after the fifth inning for Mickey Jannis. The 6-foot-5 Texan allowed eight earned runs on six hits, striking out four and walking five. He’s allowed three or more runs in seven different innings this season.

Will Craig’s phenomenal night continued in the sixth when his three-run home run cleared the left field fence to give the Curve an 11-2 advantage. Pittsburgh’s 2016 first-round draft pick finished the series-opener 3-for-his-last-3 with a home run, double, single, and 5 RBI.

The Altoona offense was plenty for Eduardo Vera in his third Double-A start. Vera (1-0) tossed seven innings and gave up three runs, without issuing a walk. He’s tossed 21.0 Eastern League innings and has issued just one walk.

Binghamton’s final run came courtesy of John Mora, who blasted his second home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Binghamton (34-29) continues its three-game set with Altoona on Wednesday evening. RHP Scott Copeland goes for the Ponies against Curve RHP Mitch Keller with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at NYSEG Stadium. 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:John Mora’s home run was his first since April 8…Binghamton was outscored 12-1 from the fourth inning on…The Ponies have dropped three of four for the first time since May 20-23.