BINGHAMTON, NY – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies had their seven-game winning streak snapped by the Hartford Yard Goats in a 3-2 final at NYSEG Stadium on Sunday. Yard Goats starter Ryan Castellani tossed eight innings of one-run ball before the Rumble Ponies had the potential game-tying run thrown out at home to end the game. Seth Lugo struck out seven and allowed three runs over six innings in his Major League rehab appearance with the Rumble Ponies.
Down by two entering the ninth, the Ponies cut the deficit in half when Matt Oberste floated a two-out, two-strike double down the right field line, plating Tomas Nido from second base. Champ Stuart replaced Oberste as a pinch runner before Gustavo Nunez rolled a groundball to second baseman Ryan McMahon. After initially booting the ball, McMahon recovered and fired home to nab Stuart, ending the game.
Castellani (4-4) needed only 86 pitches to work through eight innings. The right-hander struck out three without walking a Rumble Pony. He’s won three consecutive starts, all on the road.
Lugo (0-1) made his first start with Binghamton since 2015 as part of his Major League rehab. All three runs he allowed came across in the fourth inning. The righty tossed six innings and struck out seven Yard Goats, while walking two.
Hartford began their wire-to-wire win in the fourth inning when their first five batters reached against Lugo. Prime singled home the game’s first run, before Lugo walked Dom Nunez with the bases loaded, giving Hartford a 2-0 advantage. Castellani then helped himself by laying down a one-out squeeze bunt, scoring Max White for a 3-0 lead.
The Rumble Ponies got their first tally in the fifth inning on David Thompson’s RBI double which scored Gustavo Nunez. Thompson paces all Binghamton bats with 23 RBI’s this season.
Luis Mateo and Kelly Secrest tossed three scoreless innings in relief of Lugo, extending the Rumble Ponies’ bullpen scoreless streak to 18 innings.
James Farris picked up his eighth save of the season and finished off a game for the 14th time this season; both rank in the Eastern League’s top five.