Ninth inning barrage carries Cats over Ponies

Binghamton, New York – New Hampshire exploded for five runs on five hits, including two home runs, in the ninth inning on Wednesday afternoon. Tied, 1-1, for most of the game, the Fisher Cats (10-13, 41-51) pulled away late for a 6-1 win over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets, 6-16, 34-57) to even the series.

The Rumble Ponies and the Fisher Cats traded runs in the first two innings. Then, pitchers dominated, exchanging shutout frames until the top of the ninth.

In the ninth, Rafael Lantigua broke the tie with a leadoff homer, his second of the series. Cam Eden singled, and Addison Barger brought him home with a double. Four batters later, Luis De Los Santos crushed his seventh homer of the season to put the Fisher Cats up for good, 6-1.

New Hampshire scored five runs on five hits in the inning after totaling just two hits in the first eight innings.

Starter Luis Quinones set the tone on the hill, escaping a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the bottom of the first with just one run. He finished with a season-high nine strikeouts, his most in a game since August 18, 2021 (nine versus Hartford).

The righty from Puerto Rico struck out seven of Binghamton’s nine starters, and he struck out the side in the fourth inning. Seven of his strikeouts were swinging, and two were looking. Quinones threw 84 pitches, 48 of them strikes. He finished with three hits and one earned run, walking two batters.

After Binghamton scored on a sacrifice fly in the first, Phil Clarke roped a double into left-center field to bring home John Aiello from first base and tie the game. Clarke finished 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Rumble Ponies starter Brooks Hall then buckled down, ending his start with 5.0 innings, one hit, one earned run, three walks and five strikeouts. New Hampshire had just one hit from the third through the eighth inning.

Andrew Bash (W, 6-3) kept the game tied with 4.0 innings of scoreless relief. He allowed just one hit, walked two and struck out two. The win was Bash’s third in his last five outings, and all three wins have come via four shutout innings in relief.

The Fisher Cats continue their series at Binghamton on Thursday, July 28 at 6:35 p.m. New Hampshire returns to Delta Dental Stadium for a home series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco Giants) on August 2. Tickets can be found at NHFisherCats.com, via email at [email protected], over the phone at (603) 641-2005, or in-person at the Fisher Cats box office at 1 Line Drive in Manchester.