Moreno and Pen’ Shutout Goats to Complete Sweep in Hartford

HARTFORD, CT – Luis Moreno pitched a season-high six innings and combined with three other Binghamton Rumble Ponies relievers to shutout the Hartford Yard Goats 5-0 and complete the three-game sweep at Dunkin’ Park Saturday night.

Moreno (2-2) allowed only six hits with two walks and six strikeouts to earn the win. Cam Robinson, Trey McLoughlin, and Paul Gervase each pitched a scoreless frame in relief to complete the shutout. It’s the Ponies’ fifth shutout of the season, second against Hartford (6-5, 44-35) this year, and first on the road in 2024.

Binghamton (5-6, 40-38) scored three runs in the second and two runs in the sixth to account for all the scoring in the game. In the second, Rowdey Jordan drew a one-out walk and Stanley Consuegra hit a double down the left-field line to put runners on second and third with two out against Jarrod Cande (5-6). The next batter Wyatt Young hit a two-run single to left to put the Ponies up 2-0. After Alex Ramírez walked, Jeremiah Jackson hit an RBI double off the left-field wall to score Young and make it 3-0 Binghamton.

In the sixth, Ryan Clifford and JT Schwartz began the frame with opposite-field singles to left. Kevin Parada then drew a walk to load the bases. Two batters later, with the bases loaded and one out, Matt Rudick lined a two-run single to center that extended the Ponies lead to 5-0.

Moreno’s only major test was in the fifth with the bases loaded and two out. The Ponies right-hander struck out Ryan Ritter swinging to end the frame.

Clifford finished 2-for-3 with a double and two walks, reaching base four times and extending his hitting streak to eight games. Schwartz’s single in the sixth extended his team-high hitting streak to 18 games.

The Rumble Ponies continue their road trip Tuesday night in Manchester as they begin their final series before the all-star break, a six-game set with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays Double-A Affiliate). First pitch Tuesday is at 6:35 p.m. and the NYCM Insurance Pregame Show gets underway at 6:20 p.m. on the WNBF Rumble Ponies Radio Network.

POSTGAME NOTES: Rudick had a second straight multi-hit game and finished with two RBIs, he has five hits over his last two games…Young had a multi-hit game as well, he has four hits and four RBIs over his last two games…Clifford has now reached base in 31 of his last 33 games and in 36 of his last 39 games…Schwartz has also reached base in 22 consecutive contests.