Acuña’s Two Homers, Parada’s Three-Run Shot Blast Ponies Past Hartford

HARTFORD, Conn. – Luisangel Acuña crushed two home runs and Kevin Parada slugged a three-run homer to blast the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (33-24, 68-58) past the Hartford Yard Goats, 9-2, on Wednesday night at Dunkin’ Park. Binghamton has won 14 of its last 17 games.

Acuña led off the game with a solo homer that went 426 feet to left field to give Binghamton a 1-0 lead. It marked Acuña’s first home run as a member of the Mets’ organization. The 21-year-old later hit a solo homer to right-center field to start the fourth inning, recording the first multi-homer game of his professional career.

With the Ponies up 1-0 in the third inning, the offense exploded for a six-run frame. With one out, Acuña singled, Drew Gilbert walked, and Parada followed with a three-run home run to left field to give Binghamton a 4-0 lead. JT Schwartz kept the line moving with a single, Jeremiah Jackson walked, Rowdey Jordan followed with an RBI double, and Mateo Gil finished the big inning with a two-run single that put the Ponies up 7-0.

Acuña’s second home run of the night gave the Ponies an 8-0 lead in the fourth.

Christian Scott returned to the mound for Binghamton and tossed two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. He allowed just one hit and did not issue a walk.

Luis Moreno (9-5) tossed six-plus innings with three strikeouts in relief, while allowing two runs to Hartford (25-33, 54-71). Yanquiel Fernandez hit a solo homer in the fourth inning that cut Hartford’s deficit to 8-1. Grant Lavigne drove in a run in the sixth on an RBI fielder’s choice that made it 8-2.

In the ninth inning, Jackson clobbered a solo homer to center that put Binghamton up 9-2. Paul Gervase came in for the bottom of the ninth and threw just four pitches to record three outs and finish the game.

Binghamton will continue its series with the Yard Goats at Dunkin’ Park on Thursday night. The two teams will play a doubleheader with the first game set for 5 p.m. and pregame coverage will begin at 4:45 p.m. on the WNBF Rumble Ponies Radio Network.

Postgame Notes: Acuña’s two homers and single gave him his third three-hit game and second multi-RBI game with Binghamton…Parada slugged his second three-run homer in his last four games…Jackson crushed his sixth home run with the Ponies, 21^st overall, and had his fifth multi-hit game…Jackson extended his on-base streak to 19 games and has reached base safely in 28 of his first 29 games with Binghamton…Gil recorded his eighth multi-hit game and third multi-RBI game with Binghamton…Moreno earned his ninth win, which is tied for second in the Eastern League…All nine batters reached base safely.