MANCHESTER, NH – Two big innings proved to be too much for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Thursday afternoon. But too much only bit a little bit.
New Hampshire fell 12-9 to the Portland Sea Dogs in ten innings, giving them six wins out of this latest eight game homestand.
The two teams traded runs in the first, with Josh Ockiemey’s sacrifice fly bringing home Jeremy Rivera in the top of the first for Portland. New Hampshire responded with four runs, three of which came on home runs from Bo Bichette and Max Pentecost.
Bichette added another RBI in the second and the two teams traded runs again in the fifth.
New Hampshire starter Jon Harris left with one out in the sixth and he was in line for the win at that point, with Gunnar Heidt’s RBI double adding more cushion to the ‘Cats lead.
Unfortunately for Harris and New Hampshire, the Sea Dogs responded in the seventh with a five-hit, five-run rally, eradicating the Fisher Cats’ lead.
That deadlock would remain until the tenth when the Sea Dogs added another five spot, with their first five baserunners reaching safely.
A pair of fielding errors allowed the Fisher Cats to claw two runs back, but they couldn’t get the other three, concluding the series on a sour note.
Both teams combined for 29 hits, with every starting batter on each team recording a hit except for New Hampshire’s Harold Ramirez. Bichette, Pentecost, Heidt, Jonathan Davis and Aldemys Diaz recording multiple hits for New Hampshire while Rivera and John Nunez led the way for Portland with three hits apiece.
Harris allowed six hits and struck out seven in the no decision, with the loss going to Nick Hartman.
Hartman (1-1) and Danny Young shared responsibility for the seventh inning implosion, with Hartman leaving in the tenth before recording an out.
The two Fisher Cats relievers combined to allow seven earned runs off eight hits and two walks.
Josh Taylor (1-1) got the win for the Sea Dogs, allowing three base runners during his appearance over the eighth and ninth innings.
New Hampshire now heads to Binghamton for a Friday night doubleheader against the Rumble Ponies. Game 1 starts at 5:35, with New Hampshire yet to name a starter. Nick Tepesch (1-2, 5.21 ERA) is slated for the second game. Josh Prevost will debut on the mound for Binghamton in the first game, with their starter in the second game still yet to be announced.
