Double-A Subway Series Carries Playoff Implications
Through the raindrops and winds of Hurricane Debbie, the Double-A Subway Series is playing out with playoff implications on the line at TD Bank Ballpark this week.
Despite the weather and implications, it’s just another series for the Double-A affiliates of the New York Mets (Binghamton Rumble Ponies) and New York Yankees (Somerset Patriots).
“I think it’s fun when you play teams with a relationship with the big league club. The goal is to eventually play them in the Subway Series, or Fenway, or whatever. It’s cool to build the relationship now to play against those guys,” Yankees number two prospect Spencer Jones told the media on Wednesday.
Jones was just recently named the Eastern League Player of the Week, has two hits in seven official at bats in this series so far. Somerset and Binghamton have split the first two games of the series, with the Rumble Ponies taking Game 1 6-4, and the Patriots winning the second contest, 5-0.
“It’s great playing against Somerset. They’re always competitive. Raul does a great job getting his guys ready,” Binghamton Manager Reid Brignac added later. “It’s just a fun series. It always has been. We love the support when Mets fans come out to watch us play.”
So far the weather has not been kind to either club. Hurricane Debbie has pounded the East Coast and has forced two postponements on Thursday and Friday. A doubleheader will be played on Saturday at TD Bank Ballpark at 4:10 to make up for the Thursday washout. The second rainout will be made up in New York at a later date.
Sunday’s game will still take place at 5:10.
The Patriots and Ponies need these games. Somerset is 21-14, and are 2.5 games behind Portland for first place in the Eastern League’s East Division. The Rumble Ponies are five games out at 18-16.
Neither team is guaranteed a playoff spot with Hartford having already clinched a spot by winning the division in the first half of the year. It’s really all hands on deck the rest of the way.
