MANCHESTER, N.H. – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats continued their playoff clinching weekend with a second straight win against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, a 7-1 victory on Sunday afternoon.
Fisher Cat starting pitcher T.J. Zeuch escaped leadoff doubles in the first and second with just one run allowed, the only damage the Rumble Ponies could inflict before his departure after five innings.
Meanwhile, he got run support in droves, as the Fisher Cats got runs in the first, third, fourth and fifth, highlighted by Jon Berti’s sixth home run of the year.
Justin Dillon and Zack Jackson continued to keep the Pony bats at bay over the final four innings of the contest, while Berti crossed the plate again in the eighth.
Zeuch got the win, climbing to 9-4 in Eastern League play this year, while loss went to Binghamton starter Harol Gonzalez.
Gonzalez, now 0-7 in the Eastern League this season, allowed five earned runs off 11 hits and a walk in six innings of work.
At the plate, Jhoan Urena went 2-for-3 for Binghamton while the Fisher Cats received multi-hit days from Berti, Bo Bichette and Juan Kelley. Berti also knocked in a pair of RBI, the sixth time he’s done so since returning to the Fisher Cats in June. Cavan Biggio also contributed a pair of RBI in the win.
The Fisher Cats now travel to Portland for a four-game set with the Sea Dogs, their final road series of the regular season. There, Tayler Saucer (4-3, 4.33 ERA) takes the mound for New Hampshire against rehabbing Red Sox hurler Eduardo Rodriguez.
Rodriguez held the ‘Cats scoreless through four innings of work last week at Hadlock Field.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
