The New Hampshire Fisher Cats were unable to build on Wednesday’s win, losing 4-3 to Altoona in what could be simultaneously described as a painful loss and a painful win for one particular batter.
Kevin Kramer got Altoona on the board first with a sacrifice fly to center in the third, bringing home Jackson Williams. However, that would be all the Curve could muster off New Hampshire starter Connor Greene, who scattered four hits in six innings of work.
Unfortunately for New Hampshire, Altoona starter Austin Coley was even better, keeping the Fisher Cats scoreless in his six innings of work.
The Fisher Cats got a hit in each of the first seven innings of the game, but capitalized on Coley’s departure on the eighth, with a three-run rally that sent nine men to the plate before all was said and done.
A homer from Edwin Espinal in the bottom of the eighth brought the Curve back within a run and Kramer tied the game up in the ninth.
With the score tied, New Hampshire reliever Tim Mayza intentionally walked Connor Joe to load the bases and get to Espinal one more time. This time though, Espinal made contact without his bat.
A 2-2 low and inside Mayza pitch got a piece of him, sending Espinal to first and advancing the game winning run.
Mayza (1-1) only recorded one out in what was his third blown save of the year. Miguel Rosario (1-1) obtained the four final outs of Fisher Cat batters to earn the win.
Espinal was the only Curve batter with more than one hit, going 2-for-3 on the night. New Hampshire obtained two hit nights from Jonathan Davis, Anthony Alford and Richard Urena.
With the loss, the Fisher Cats (11-22) are now 1-9 in games decided by one run.
The series continues Friday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field in Altoona. Francisco Rios (3-3, 3.86 ERA) will face Altoona’s Yeudy Garcia (1-2, 4.74 ERA) with first pitch set for 6:00 pm
The Fisher Cats return to Northeast Delta Dental Stadium on Tuesday, May 16 with a contest against Trenton.
