Portland, Maine – Nick Podkul went 2-for-2 and drove in three runs and Maximo Castillo picked up his eighth win as the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays Double-A affiliate) held off a ninth-inning rally to beat the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox affiliate) 7-6 on Sunday at Hadlock Field.
New Hampshire (35-39), which earned a series win, took a 7-3 lead to the bottom of the ninth inning. Portland (47-28) closed the gap to 7-6 on back-to-back home runs by Ronaldo Hernandez and Tanner Nishioka. Reliever Emerson Jimenez earned his first save when Pedro Castellanos popped out to end the game.
Podkul figured in the scoring in four different innings. In the second, his RBI single drove in LJ Talley for a 1-0 lead. He walked and scored on a double by Tanner Kirwer in the top of the fourth as New Hampshire again moved in front 3-2.
After a single by Talley and a double by Kevin Vicuna (3-for-5) in the top of the sixth, Podkul singled in the runs for a 5-3 lead. He walked in the eighth when New Hampshire loaded the bases and Samad Taylor drove in a run with a fielder’s choice to put the Fisher Cats up 7-3.
Castillo (W, 8-2) worked six innings, allowing three runs for the Fisher Cats (6 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K). He moves into a tie for the Double-A Northeast lead with eight wins. Mike Ellenbest and Fitz Stadler each worked a scoreless innings in relief. Matthew Kent (L, 4-2) took the loss for Portland.
Five different Fisher Cats players drove in runs on Sunday, in addition to Podkul and Taylor. Chavez Young, Jordan Groshans, and Tanner Kirwer all knocked in runs.
New Hampshire returns home on Tuesday, August 3 to start a six-game homestand against the Hartford Yard Goats (Rockies Double-A) at Delta Dental Stadium.
