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MMN Recap: Gimenez With Big Game, Columbia Walks Off

By Ryan Kolakowski

April 19, 2019 No comments

Andres Gimenez, Photo By Ernest Dove

Binghamton (5-4) 7, Erie (7-4) 5 Box Score

Harol Gonzalez took the mound for Binghamton and turned in a quality start against the Erie SeaWolves. In six innings of work, Gonzalez allowed three runs on four hits while striking out eight batters. Gonzalez entered the game with a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and promptly allowed a leadoff double to Erie right fielder Derek Hill. After Hill stole third base, Gonzalez surrendered a sacrifice fly. Gonzalez cruised through his next two innings of work before running into trouble in the fourth inning.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Gonzalez allowed a leadoff home run to designated hitter Kody Eaves. After recording two outs, Gonzalez surrendered another solo home run to shortstop Daniel Pinero. Gonzalez then pitched two clean innings to wrap up his outing. Joshua Torres came on in relief of Gonzalez and pitched a perfect seventh inning. In the eighth inning, Torres induced a flyout from the leadoff batter before allowing two batters to reach base on a walk and a single. Torres then allowed a two-run double, slashing the Binghamton lead to two runs.

Stephen Villines entered for the save situation in the bottom of the ninth inning, and he surrendered a pair of singles to lead off the inning. With two runners on base, Villines forced a pair of fly outs and struck out Hill to clinch the save.

  • 2B Sam Haggerty (.308/.386/.487): 3-for-5, HR, R, RBI, BB
  • SS Andres Gimenez (.229/.289/.457): 3-for-4, HR, 2 2B, 2 R, RBI, BB, K
  • 3B Will Toffey (.148/.343/.370): 2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, K

The Binghamton offense jumped out to an early lead against Erie. Sam Haggerty slugged a leadoff home run to give the Rumble Ponies an early 1-0 lead. Andres Gimenez followed Haggerty with a double, and Will Toffey knocked a two-run home run to left center field to give Binghamton a 3-0 lead.

The offense kept rolling in the second inning with a pair of solo home runs from center fielder Braxton Lee and Gimenez.

With a 5-3 lead, Michael Paez and Will Toffey hit a pair of  singles to lead off the fifth inning. After Ali Sanchez and Jason Krizan struck out, Dario Pizzano lined a two-out single to score Paez and Toffey and give the Rumble Ponies a 7-3 lead. Binghamton was held scoreless for the last four innings but clinched a 7-5 victory.

Top prospect Andres Gimenez slugged three extra base hits, including a home run, to lead the Rumble Ponies offense. After struggling to a .154/.214/.231 slash line through the first six games, Gimenez has broken out for four extra base hits over his last two games.

Palm (11-4) 8, St. Lucie (8-7) 4 Box Score

Tommy Wilson, a 22-year-old from Los Angeles, tossed two scoreless innings before running into trouble in the bottom of the third.  With runners on first and second, Wilson allowed a ground ball single to give Palm Beach a 1-0 lead. In the fourth inning, Wilson allowed a leadoff walk and a single to put two runners on base. With two outs in the inning, Palm Beach right fielder Justin Toerner lined a two-run double to right field to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Carlos Hernandez allowed four consecutive hits, including a three-run home run, to give the Cardinals a 7-3 lead. Palm Beach tacked on another run on a Hernandez wild pitch. Marcel Renteria tossed two scoreless innings of relief.

St. Lucie was held scoreless through the first four innings of play on Thursday. The Mets’ first hit of the night came on a Luis Carpio single in the top of the fifth inning. Jeremy Vasquez led off the inning with the walk and, with two runners on base, Nick Meyer launched a three-run home run to tie the game at 3. St. Lucie threatened again in the sixth inning, but Luis Carpio struck out to strand Quinn Brodey at third base.

Carlos Cortes led off the top of the eighth inning with a double, and Quinn Brodey drove Cortes in on a single to center field. The Mets trailed by four runs entering the ninth inning, and St. Lucie went down in order to end the game.

Columbia (7-7) 4, Hickory (10-4)  3 Box Score

Christian James took the mound for Columbia on Thursday night. In the second inning, the 20-year-old starting pitcher coughed up a 2-0 lead to Hickory. James lost Curtis Terry to a leadoff walk in the top of the second inning, and Hickory strung together three consecutive hits, including two doubles, to take a 3-2 lead. James cruised through his next two innings of work. In the top of the fifth, the former 14th-round pick allowed a leadoff single and a walk. After striking out the next batter, James was pulled for the day and Darwin Ramos came on in relief. The Columbia bullpen combined for 4.2 scoreless innings of work.

The Columbia offense struck first on Thursday night. Shortstop Ronny Mauricio, an 18-year-old from the Dominican Republic, lined a leadoff single to right field and quickly stole second base to put himself in scoring position. After second baseman Walter Rasquin drew a walk, both base runners successfully pulled off a double steal to get into scoring position. Mauricio then scored on a passed ball, advancing Rasquin to third. Third baseman Mark Vientos drove Rasquin home with a sacrifice fly to give Columbia a 2-0 lead.

The Columbia offense remained silent until the bottom of the ninth inning. Trailing 3-2, first baseman Brian Sharp and catcher Juan Uriarte failed to reach base to start the final frame. The Fireflies then ripped three consecutive singles to tie the game at 3. With runners on first and third, Hickory intentionally walked Mauricio to load the bases. Rasquin made the Crawdads pay, hitting a walk-off single to score Anthony Dirocie and give Columbia a 4-3 win.

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Written by Rkolakowski

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