MANCHESTER, NH – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats returned to Manchester in impressive fashion, easily defeating the Hartford Yard Goats, 10-3.
Jon Harris has been the Fisher Cats unsung workhorse on the mound this year, but Friday’s performance from Harris was far more than just eating up innings until the Fisher Cats offensive put in their usual rally.
Harris (3-3) lasted 7 1/3 innings, giving up just two runs on seven hits, with neither run earned, one of which came across the plate as an inherited runner after Jose Fernandez entered in relief.
Fernandez would allow a solo shot to Brian Mundell in the ninth, but it was far too little, too late on another strong offensive night for New Hampshire.
Cavan Biggio led off the scoring with an RBI single in the fourth, the third hit in a row off Hartford starter Jack Wynkoop, with Andrew Guillotte’s sacrifice fly later in the inning bringing Biggio across the plate.
Wynkoop (2-4) left after five innings, but the runs didn’t stop there.
New Hampshire began the sixth with five straight hits and began the seventh with four straight base runners. That streak in the seventh included two consecutive home runs from Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the second multi-homer inning for the Fisher Cats this week alone.
Between the two rallies, New Hampshire send eight men across the plate, more than enough for their third win against Wynkoop this year and fifth overall.
Wynkoop now has an ERA of 7.20 in six lifetime appearances against the Fisher Cats, almost four runs higher than his overall career ERA.
Guerrero and Bichette went 3-for-4 for New Hampshire, with Biggio, Gunnar Heidt and Jonathan Davis also contributing two-hit days.
For Hartford, Mundell led the way with a 3-for-4 performance, with Brendan Rogers also adding a pair of hits in the loss.
The two teams return for a doubleheader on Saturday, set to begin at 5:35 p.m. Nick Tepesch (1-2. 5.53 ERA) taking the mound for New Hampshire against Ryan Castellani (2-2, 4.67 ERA). New Hampshire has not yet named a starter for the second game, with Craig Schlitter (0-0, 5.60 ERA) pitching for Hartford.
