Fisher Cats split second doubleheader of the weekend

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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Fisher Cats promotional photo)

MANCHESTER, NH –New Hampshire Fisher Cats fans can be forgiven for feeling a bit of déjà vu.

On Friday night, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats opened a doubleheader against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies with a walk-off win, only to drop the second game. On Sunday night, they did the same thing, only with more late inning dramatics.

In Game 1, the Ponies got on the board first thanks to a second inning home run from Jhoan Urena, followed by another solo shot from Champ Stuart in the third.

New Hampshire would answer in the bottom of the third courtesy of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s groundball single, bringing Jonathan Davis across the plate.

The Fisher Cats tied the game up an inning later and took the lead courtesy of a Cavan Biggio double in the fifth, but Binghamton was not done.

In the sixth, the Ponies opened with four straight singles, sparking a rally that would see them open a 5-3 lead by the end of the inning.

Binghamton closer Tyler Bashlor came into the game in the seventh looking for his seventh save of the year and his third this year at the hands of New Hampshire, but the Fisher Cats had different plans.

Jonathan Davis opened the inning with a 1-0 double to left, crossing the plate following Bo Bichette’s double just one at-bat later.

That set the stage for Guerrero, who took a breaking pitch from Bashlor over the centerfield fence for New Hampshire’s third walk-off victory of the year.

Guerrero was 4-for-4 in the game, his second four hit game of the season to date and third as a professional.

Every Rumble Pony had a hit, with Kevin Taylor leading Binghamton with a 2-of-4 game.

Danny Young (2-0) got the win for his two innings relieving Jon Harris while the Bashlor also earned his first blown save of the year along with the loss.

Binghamton struck first again in the second game, this time beginning with a first pitch two-rim home run by Jeff McNeil in the first.

That home run put McNeil in a tie with Biggio for the league lead at 12 dingers, marking his fifth one this week alone and his fifth this season against the Fisher Cats.

Guerrero scratched back one run in the bottom of the first and Patrick Cantwell would even up the contest in the third thanks to his home run over the right field fence.

New Hampshire would take possession of the lead in the fourth after a failed pickoff attempt let Andew Guillotte head home, but McNeil gave Binghamton the lead back in the fifth thanks to a two-RBI single to right, bringing Taylor and Oliver Pascual home.

Cantwell would tie the game in the sixth with an RBI ground-rule double, and despite the fact that Eastern League doubleheaders are only scheduled for seven regulation innings, the next runs would not come until the eighth.

There, Binghamton sent three men across the plate thanks in large part to four walks given up by Zach Jackson.

New Hampshire’s Juan Kelly would start the bottom of the inning with a walk as well, with a pair of wild pitches and a Connor Panas double giving the Fisher Cats the three runs they’d need to keep the game going.

Binghamton would put up another three spot in the ninth, highlighted by Matt Oberste’s home run to the Sam Adams Bar and Grill in left.

In the end, that would be enough, as a sac fly RBI from Harold Ramirez brought home Biggio, but couldn’t muster any more runs after Andrew Guillotte’s single.

Cantwell was the only Fisher Cat with multiple hits while Taylor, McNeil, Oberste and Pascual notched all of Binghamton’s hits, with Pascual leading the way with three.

Fernandez (3-1) was the loser while Corey Taylor (1-1) got the win for his two outs in the eighth.

Fisher Cat starter Nick Tepesch went 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs off seven hits, striking out three.

The Fisher Cats now have a day off before returning to the field in Reading at 6:45 on Monday night.

There, they send Jordan Romano (7-0, 1.94 ERA) against a Reading starter yet to be announced.

 

 

 

 

About this Author

Andrew Sylvia

Assistant EditorManchester Ink Link

Born and raised in the Granite State, Andrew Sylvia has written approximately 10,000 pieces over his career for outlets across Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. On top of that, he's a licensed notary and licensed to sell property, casualty and life insurance, he's been a USSF trained youth soccer and futsal referee for the past six years and he can name over 60 national flags in under 60 seconds according to that flag game app he has on his phone, which makes sense because he also has a bachelor's degree in geography (like Michael Jordan). He can also type over 100 words a minute on a good day.