MANCHESTER, N.H. – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are one game closer to the 2018 Eastern League Championship Series, taking Game 1 of the Eastern League Eastern Divisional Championship Series against Trenton on Wednesday night, 8-0.
A classic pitchers’ duel early on, the Fisher Cats struck in the sixth. Beginning with an errant pitch that hit Jon Berti, five straight New Hampshire batters reached safely, providing a three-run cushion.
At that point, New Hampshire manager John Schneider went to the bullpen concluding an outstanding performance for Fisher Cats starting pitcher T.J. Zeuch.
From there Fisher Cat relievers Kirby Snead, Dusty Issacs and Justin Bergin combined for eight strikeouts on top of the five from Zeuch earlier in the contest, not allowing another hit for the rest of the evening.
“It always starts with the starter,” said Schneider. “Outstanding job by Kirby, and whenever you can get the ball to Bergen for three or four outs, you feel comfortable.”
Outside of the sixth inning rally, it wasn’t a bad night for Trenton starting pitcher Brian Keller, scattering six hits in seven innings of work, striking out six and walking one before his departure.
New Hampshire added five insurance runs in the eighth to seal their first playoff victory since 2011.
“Eight runs against these guys is a tall task because they can really pitch,” said Schneider.
At the plate, all but one of Trenton’s hits came off the bats of Kyle Holder (3-for-3), Jorge Saez (2-for-3) and Angel Aguilar (2-for-3).
Bo Bichette, Harold Ramirez and Max Pentecost led the way for New Hampshire with two hits apiece, with Bichette, Craig Biggio Jon Berti each grabbed two RBI on the night.
In the Western Division, Akron defeated Altoona 5-2 to take a 1-0 lead in that series.
Northeast Delta Dental Stadium hosts Game 2 on Eastern Divisional Series on Thursday, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. New Hampshire sends Hector Perez (0-1, 3.86 ERA in the Eastern League during the regular season) against Trenton’s Nick Green (1-2, 3.63 ERA in the Eastern League during the regular season.)
The series shifts to Trenton on Friday at 7 p.m., with Game 4 and 5 on Saturday and Sunday respectively in Trenton if needed.
