Rumble Ponies 3, Fisher Cats 2
- Updated: July 7, 2021
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. –– Otto Lopez and Tanner Kirwer each homered, but the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays Double-A affiliate) fell to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets) 3-2 in Tuesday’s series opener at Mirabito Stadium.
The Rumble Ponies took the early lead in the first against Johnny Barbato (0-2). Jake Mangum doubled to start the inning, and later moved to third on a throwing error to first base by catcher Chris Bec when Bec tried to throw out Carlos Cortes after a strikeout. Then, with Mark Vientos batting, Mangum scored on a wild pitch by Barbato.
But in the fourth, Lopez tied the game at 1-1 against Binghamton starter Dustin Beggs. On the first pitch of the inning, Lopez drilled a solo shot to dead center, good for his third home run of the season.
Binghamton pulled ahead for good with two runs in the fifth. Matt Winaker doubled down the right field line to begin the frame, and Manny Rodriguez followed with a line-drive single to left to put runners at the corners with nobody out. Mangum then reached on an error at shortstop, allowing Winaker to come around to score. Nick Meyer capped the frame with a run-scoring single to left.
In the loss, Barbato logged his third quality start with the Fisher Cats, registering six innings and allowing six hits, three runs (one earned) while walking one and striking out nine.
Eric Orze (1-0) earned the win in relief, with his lone blemish coming in the top of the seventh. To begin the frame, Kirwer smoked a solo shot to left to cut the deficit to 3-2. Overall, Orze tossed 2.2 innings, allowing three hits and one run while striking out three.
Ryley Gilliam earned the save for the Rumble Ponies with two perfect innings.
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