Collins Homers, Rojas Joins 20-20-20 Club in Binghamton’s Series-Opening Loss to Portland

PORTLAND, Maine – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies (33-31) fell behind in the eighth inning as the Portland Sea Dogs (33-31) rallied for an 8-6 victory in the series opener at Hadlock Field on Tuesday night. The Rumble Ponies have been out-hit in seven consecutive games.

In a 6-6 game in the bottom of the eighth inning against Binghamton right-hander Cristofer Gomez (L 2-1), Portland jumped in front, 8-6. With second baseman Yoeilin Cespedes on second base and two outs, Ronald Rosario pinch-hit for Caden Rose and delivered the eventual game-winning two-run home run.

Portland right-hander Steven Brooks (S, 1) got the ball in the ninth inning. He allowed a two-out single to shortstop Marco Vargas but left him stranded to notch the save.

Against Binghamton right-hander Noah Hall, Portland took a 3-0 lead in the first inning behind 30 pitches thrown by Hall. Catcher Johanfran Garcia scored designated hitter Justin Gonzales with an RBI double to make it 1-0.

One batter later, center fielder Will Turner belted a two-run home run, his 16th of the season to capture a 3-0 lead.

Portland left-hander Dalton Rogers retired seven consecutive batters into the third inning until Binghamton took a 4-3 lead behind four hits and four runs in the third frame.

Designated hitter Corey Collins blasted his ninth Double-A home run to make it 3-1. Right fielder JT Benson then reached base on a dropped pop fly from second baseman Yoeilin Cespedes, and second baseman Mitch Voit singled to line up runners on first and third with one out.

Binghamton cut the deficit to 3-2 lead when Voit stole second base and shortstop Henry Godbout dropped the throw from Garcia which allowed Benson to score.

Four straight Binghamton hitters reached base after Vargas tallied an RBI single to tie the game, 3-3. With two outs, first baseman Jacob Reimer hit an RBI single to give Binghamton a 4-3 lead. Binghamton recorded four-hits, four runs and reached on two errors in the inning.

The Sea Dogs came back and took a 5-4 lead with a two-run bottom of the third inning. The inning was sparked by three consecutive doubles. Godbout doubled and was driven in by first baseman Brooks Brannon, and then Garcia mirrored Brannon for his second double of the game.

Binghamton tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the fourth inning and center fielder John Bay did it all. Bay walked, stole second base and then took off for third with Benson in the box and Rogers threw the ball past third baseman Ahbram Liendo at third base which allowed Bay to score. It was Portland’s third error of the night.

Hall allowed five runs on six hits over 3.1 innings and was replaced by right-hander Douglas Orellana with Liendo on second base following a one-out double in the fourth inning. On Orellana’s first pitch, Liendo took off for third base but was thrown out by catcher Chris Suero. Orellana escaped the inning without allowing another run, keeping the game tied at 5-5.

Binghamton took a 6-5 in the top of the fifth inning against Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck on a rehab assignment. Third baseman Jefferson Rojas walked with one out and stole second base. The swiped bag put Rojas into the 20-20-20 club (HR 24, 2B 25, SB 20). Reimer followed with a walk and then Suero delivered an RBI groundout to score Rojas.

New York Mets left-hander, Cionel Pérez, pitched a scoreless bottom of the fifth inning on his rehab assignment with two strikeouts. He threw eight pitches and six were strikes.

Portland right-hander Joe Vogatsky quieted the Binghamton offense striking out five batters over 2.1 perfect innings pitched.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, left-hander Felipe De La Cruz entered in relief. Portland tied the game at 6-6 behind a Godbout RBI single which scored Linedo. With one out, Gonzales tried to take home on a wild-pitch but Suero played it off the backstop and tossed it to De La Cruz to catch Gonzales. De La Cruz struck out Garcia to end the frame.

Portland left-hander Jeremy Wu-Yelland (W, 4-1) stranded two Binghamton runners on two walks to keep the game tied at 6-6 into the bottom of the eighth inning.

Binghamton enters the final five games of the regular season in second place, 3.5 games behind the Reading Fightin Phils for the top spot in the Northeast Division. The Reading Fightin Phils dropped their series opener against the Erie SeaWolves, the second-half Southwest Division champions.

The Somerset Patriots defeated the Hartford Yard Goats on Tuesday night and now hold sole possession of second place, 2.5 games out of first place. Binghamton would be eliminated with any combination of two Reading wins or two Binghamton losses over the final five games.

The Rumble Ponies continue a six-game series with the Portland Sea Dogs (Double-A-Boston Red Sox) on Wednesday at Hadlock Field. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m and the game will be broadcast on News Radio 1290 AM & 92.1 FM, and on the WNBF News Radio App.

Postgame Notes: Rojas joins 20-20-20 club: HR 24, 2B 25, SB 20 ( 0-for-4, R, BB, SB)...Collins 9th Double-A home run (1-for-4, R, HR, RBI)...Vargas 16th multi-hit game (2-for-5, R, RBI, 2 SB)...Reimer reached base three times (1-for-2, RBI, 2 BB)...Bay reached base twice (0-for-2, R, 2 BB, SB)...Benson reached base twice (0-for-3, R, BB)...Cionel Pérez (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO)...Girton (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO).