HARTFORD, CT – Scott Burcham launched a game-tying homer in the seventh and Brandon Bednar went deep off Mickey Jannis in the eighth to send the Hartford Yard Goats past the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, 4-3, on Wednesday night at Dunkin Donuts Park. Jannis became the franchise’s all-time leader in games started, but took the complete-game loss.
It was Jannis’ night to shine over his first six scoreless innings. Surpassing former Binghamton Met Mark Cohoon by making his 67th career start with Binghamton, the knuckleballer ducked out of trouble into the seventh. Jannis stranded seven and held Hartford hitless in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position through six blank innings.
His fortunes changed in the seventh. Owning a three-run lead, Jannis hit Omar Carrizales to start the inning. Pinch-hitter Nelson Molina capped an eleven-pitch at-bat by dumping a single to right. Burcham followed by blasting the first pitch he saw over the wall in left to tie the game. Bednar broke the tie with a two-out solo homer to left, his second in as many games.
Binghamton put the potential tying run on second in the ninth, but Matt Pierpont retired Andres Gimenez to seal his league-leading 28th save.
Until the seventh, production from the heart of Binghamton’s order looked like it would be enough. Patrick Mazeika opened the fifth inning with a solo homer off Hartford starter Frank Duncan. The catcher’s eighth homer of the season broke the scoreless game. In the sixth, Will Toffey pelted the wall in right-center with a two-run double.
Even after watching their lead disappear in the seventh, the Rumble Ponies mustered a rally in the eighth. Binghamton filled the bases with one out against Mitch Horacek, but failed to bring in a run.
Jannis (9-6) suffered the loss, ending a stretch of four consecutive unbeaten starts. He struck out seven, but allowed four runs on ten hits.
The Rumble Ponies (60-68) conclude their two-game series against the Yard Goats on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. RHP Franklyn Kilome takes the mound in the finale. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 6:50 p.m. and can be heard on NewsRadio 1290AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.
POSTGAME NOTES: Joey Terdoslavich recorded his eighth multiple-hit game in his last 12 games. Excluding the result of the Trenton-Reading game, Binghamton’s elimination number slipped to four. Binghamton suffered their sixth straight loss at Dunkin Donuts Park.