The New Hampshire Fisher Cats took their first game of their three-game series against the Akron RubberDucks on Friday night, 8-1
Akron struck first, as Taiwanese shortstop Yu-Cheng Chang’s full-count groundout was enough to bring Joe Sever across the plate. But that lead would not last for long.
In the third, the Fisher Cats sent ten men to the plate, with six of them recording hits. However, the real catalyst of New Hampshire’s rally came when Akron leftfielder Luigi Rodriguez accidentally threw the ball into the stands.
At that point, the Fisher Cats already scored one run, and the error by Rodriguez allowed another.
New Hampshire took three more runs before the RubberDucks finally got out of the inning.
Danny Jansen added a solo shot to left centerfield an inning later and New Hampshire added another two runs in the seventh off reliever Robby Aviles.
The win marked the return of New Hampshire’s dormant offense, doubling their output during the previous three games against Erie.
Jansen joined Harold Ramirez, Gunnar Heidt and Danny Jansen in the two-hit club, with Matt Dean also obtaining two walks.
Chris Rowley pitched seven innings to get the win, striking out six and walking only one Akron batter. Rowley gave up just three hits to the Rubber Ducks, with Alonzo Gonzalez and John Stilson giving up just two more hits over the final two innings of the contest.
Akron’s Luis Lugo fell to 4-3 on the year, going five innings before getting the hook, recording 86 pitches before his ejection from the contest.
Lugo allowed nine New Hampshire hits, striking out three and walking one.
On Saturday, Sean Reid Foley (3-3, 4.53 ERA) takes the mound for the Fisher Cats against Akron’s Matt Whitehouse (1-3, 3.21 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
