It’s August 12, 2019. Here’s what’s been going on lately on the path 400 miles to Toronto.
Game Results
Tuesday, Aug. 6 – New Hampshire 7, Akron 0
Wednesday, Aug. 7 – Akron 2, New Hampshire 1
Thursday, Aug. 8 – Akron 5, New Hampshire 1
Friday, Aug. 9 – Erie 4, New Hampshire 2
Saturday Aug. 10 – Erie 3, New Hampshire 2
Sunday, Aug. 11 – New Hampshire 8, Erie 5
Offensive Bookends
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats’ offense has been a weakness this season, and this week has been a perfect example of that weakness, with strong days at the beginning and end of the home stand surrounded by a lack of enough run support for what were four winnable games.
For Fisher Cats Manager Mike Mordecai, the reason for the poor output is two-fold. First, Erie has the best pitching in the league. Indeed, until a strong fifth inning on Sunday, 2018 MLB Draft Top Draft Pick Corey Mize was well on his way to helping his team earn a weekend sweep.
The second reason comes from the inability of Fisher Cats’ hitters to consistently control the fastballs of opposing pitchers.
“These guys got to learn from their mistakes and things that they’re doing. Some are learning a little more than others. They got to grow,” “You have to realize when guys have good fastballs, you can’t stand up there and take fastballs early in the count and expect to get into their breaking stuff late, because how do you know it’s coming? If you’re sitting on it, they’re going to throw their fastballs right by you.”
Bo’s Streak Finally Ends
For anyone that didn’t get a chance to see Bo Bichette in Manchester this year, don’t worry, you’re probably going to get to see him a few times a year at Fenway if you can’t head to Rogers Centre.
Bichette started his major-league career with a 11-game hit streak, finally ending on Friday against the Yankees.
He also became the first rookie to get an extra-base hit in nine straight games since Ted Williams in 1939 and the first player ever to get doubles in nine consecutive games.
Bichette’s no stranger to doubles. He led the Eastern League last year with 43 and took 41 in 2017 during stints with the Class-A Lansing Lugnuts and Advanced-A Dunedin Blue Jays.
This Week
For the rest of the Fisher Cats’ regular season, there are no more off-days and no more out-of-division opponents.
The home stretch begins on Tuesday with a series in Binghamton, the only divisional rival that has a losing record to New Hampshire at home this year.
Then the Fisher Cats return for a weekend set against the Portland Sea Dogs.
Fisher Cats of the Week
Batting: Josh Palacios – 8-for-23 (.347), 2 HR, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SB
Pitching: Dany Jimenez – 3 IP, 1 SV, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 Ks
