EL1 Trenton Thunder

Late Surge Helps Thunder Avoid Sweep

Published on June 19, 2011 under Eastern League (EL1)
Trenton Thunder News Release


Binghamton, NY - The Trenton Thunder (40-29) used a five-run top of the eighth inning Sunday to win 10-8 and avoid a sweep at the hands of the Binghamton Mets (23-44) at NYSEG Stadium. Cody Johnson homered and was a single shy of the cycle, Jose Pirela drove in two runs on three hits and Ray Kruml hit his second-career Double A homerun. The Thunder also avoided losing five straight games for the first time in 2011.

A day after Cody Johnson's apparent homerun was ruled a double, the powerful Thunder designated hitter got his squad on the board early on Sunday with a solo homerun to right field. The long ball led off the top of the second inning and gave Trenton the early 1-0 lead off of former Major League pitcher Tobi Stoner.

The B-Mets scored three in the bottom of the third inning, but the Thunder got right back into the game in the top of the fourth. The aforementioned Johnson doubled home Jose Gil to cut the B-Mets' lead to 3-2, and Jose Pirela lined a double to left field to score Johnson to tie the score at 3-3.

Binghamton re-took the lead with a run in the fifth inning, but Corban Joseph singlehandedly gave Trenton the lead in the top of the seventh inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, the Thunder second baseman looped a soft single into shallow left field to give Trenton the 5-4 advantage.

In a tie game in the top of the eighth, the Thunder, frustrated with Binghamton's resiliency, decided to put the B-Mets away once and for all. First, Pirela brought home Johnson on a sacrifice fly to give Trenton a 6-5 lead. Then, after a Reese Havens' two-out error, the Thunder scored four unearned runs on a RBI double from Jason Place, a RBI single from Ryan Baker and a two-run homerun from Ray Kruml.

Pat Venditte allowed two runs in the ninth inning, but the Thunder held on to win the high-scoring contest 10-8. The ten runs scored by Trenton on Sunday afternoon mark the most by the team in a game in 2011.

The Thunder will have an off day in Portland, Maine, before beginning a three-game series with the Portland Sea Dogs, AA Affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, on Tuesday at 7:00 PM from Hadlock Field. The Thunder will give the pearl to RHP Dellin Betances (3-2, 1.76), while Portland will counter with RHP Brock Huntzinger (3-5, 6.85). Tune-in to the game on 91.3 WTSR-FM and on trentonthunder.com. The SBLI Pre-Game Show with Hank Fuerst begins at 6:45 PM.

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Eastern League Stories from June 19, 2011


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