PORTLAND, MAINE – A sixth inning six-run rally proved to be the difference on Friday night as the Portland Sea Dogs earned a 9-4 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
That rally broke an early deadlock that saw both squads even up the score three times, including Johan Mieses’ second home run in as many days to knot the game at one run apiece in the second inning.
Tanner Nishioka was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring home the first run, setting the stage for a Jack Lopez grand slam one at-bat later to break the game wide open.
Austin Martin’s one-out triple in the eighth would bring the Fisher Cats’ their last run of the night, bringing Kevin Vicuña across the plate.
The two teams combined for 21 hits on the night, with every Sea Dog batter getting and every Fisher Cat batter except for Jordan Groshans and Nick Podkul getting at least one hit.
Vicuña, Demi Orimoloye and Gabriel Moreno finished with two hits for New Hampshire, with Vicuña and Brock Lundquist recording doubles to go with Martin’s triple.
Zack Kelly (1-0) pitched three innings of scoreless relief to get the win, striking out eight Fisher Cats in the process. Fitz Stadler (0-1) was saddled with the loss, facing six batters without recording an out during the Sea Dogs’ rally.
New Hampshire continues the season-opening road trip at Hadlock Field through Sunday, with a 1 p.m. first pitch scheduled for Saturday’s game. Maximo Castillo takes the mound for new Hampshire against Portland’s Kutter Crawford.
