BINGHAMTON, NY – The Thunder offense connected for four hits in the first four batters with three runs in support of Rookie Davis in Trenton’s 4-2 victory Saturday night.
Before Rookie Davis took the ball in his Double-A debut, Trenton plated three runs on RBI singles from Tony Renda and Tyler Austin before a wild pitch scored a run as part of a three-run first inning. Binghamton responded immediately with a pair of two-out runs in the bottom of the inning on a two-run single by T.J. Rivera to trim the Thunder lead to 3-2.
Those would be the only two runs allowed by Davis on the night. He earned the victory by going 5.1 innings and scattering seven hits and striking out five without issuing a walk. Conor Mullee entered for 2.2 innings of scoreless relief before the game was ended with a scoreless ninth inning from Alex Smith. Smith allowed a one-out single to Jared King before a double play ended the ballgame.
Offensively the Thunder notched just six hits in the win, but Austin contributed three of them in a 3-for-4 night. He singled in the 1st inning, homered off Binghamton starter Matt Koch in the 3rd and tripled in the 6th. He stood in the box in the 8th inning needing a double for the third cycle in Thunder history, but instead he lined out to first baseman Vince Belnome. In his return to the Thunder, Austin is now 6-for-8 with a walk and two homers in two games.
With the victory, the Thunder pull to within 1.5 games of Binghamton for the east division Wild Card spot. The Reading Fightin Phils plated five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning against the New Britain Rock Cats and have extend their lead for first place in the division to 1.5 games.
The Thunder and Binghamton Mets return to action Saturday night with a scheduled 1:05 p.m. first pitch at NYSEG Stadium. Pre-game coverage begins at 12:50 p.m. on 91.3 FM, 1490 AM or online at www.trentonthunder.com.
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