The New Hampshire Fisher Cats began their first road trip of the 2017 season with a 7-2 victory over the Hartford Yard Goats at a sold-out Dunkin’ Donuts Park on Thursday night.
Gunnar Heidt hit his second home run in as many games for the Fisher Cats, a two-run shot in the eighth. Heidt’s blast sealed the lead New Hampshire obtained in the seventh on a Tim Lopes single that also drove in a pair of runs. Lopes would add another RBI in the eighth on a double to right field, capping a 2-for-5 night at the plate.
Ryan McBroom also contributed an RBI double in the fourth, extending his hitting streak to four games. McBroom came across the plate as well, thanks to a sacrifice fly to center in the second by Reese McGuire.
Connor Greene bounced back from a tough outing on Saturday in Manchester, going five innings in the start. He allowed only two runs off four hits while striking out seven, but couldn’t notch a decision.
Instead, the win went to Carlos Ramirez, who provided two innings without allowing a run or hit to Yard Goats batters, echoing his three-inning scoreless performance against Reading on Monday.
Yard Goats starting pitcher Yency Almonte mirrored Greene, allowing two runs in five strong innings, and was spared the loss.
That went to right hander Konner Wade, who recorded a scoreless inning of relief in the sixth, but could not retire any of the three batters he faced in the seventh. Wade’s night culminated in Lopes’ key at-bat, where he allowed Jonathan Diaz to score on a errant pickoff attempt prior to Lopes’ double.
With the outcome, New Hampshire climbs to 3-4 on the season, two games behind Portland and a half-game ahead of Hartford (3-5) in the Eastern League’s Eastern Division standings.
The two teams will face each other again on Friday, New Hampshire’s Francisco Rios (1-0, 1.80) and Parker French (1-0, 0.00) are the likely starters.
