HARRISBURG, Penn. – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats were one swing away from tying up their game with the Harrisburg Senators on Wednesday night, however, that swing went awry, leaving the Fisher Cats with a 5-4 defeat.
Following a delay of over an hour, New Hampshire struck first in the second inning off Riley Adams’ RBI double. That brought home Santiago Espinal and Christian Williams, to give New Hampshire an early lead that Harrisburg would cut in half in the bottom of the second.
Forrest Wall put the lead back up to two runs in the third with a first-pitch home run to right field. Harrisburg brought the game back within a run in the fifth with a Chuck Taylor RBI double, eventually taking the lead with a pair of runs in the sixth.
Harrisburg grew that lead in the seventh, thanks to a home run from Tres Barrera, but the Fisher Cats were not done. Kevin Smith led off the top of the ninth with a home run to put the Fisher Cats back within a run of tying the game. Vinnie Capra reached second with two outs in the ninth, only to be stranded as Alberto Mineo swung on a pitch that went to the dirt on a full count.
Mineo’s strikeout ended the contest, giving Harrisburg reliever Joan Baez his third save of the year.
The win went to Harrisburg’s Taylor Guilbeau (1-2) for his two innings of relief in the fifth and sixth. Jake Fishman (1-1) was the loser, giving up two runs off two hits and a walk during his appearance in the sixth.
Seven of the nine Fisher Cats batters had at least one hit with Espinal and Adams finishing with two. Harrisburg also had seven of its nine batters obtain at least one hit with Ian Sagdal leading the way with a 3-for-4 night.
New Hampshire will try to avoid the sweep on Thursday as Nate Pearson (0-0, 2.08 ERA) takes the mound against Harrisburg’s Tyler Mapes (2-2, 4.72 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 10:30 AM.
