Manchester Ink Link is simulating the entire 2020 New Hampshire Fisher Cats season as we wait for the real baseball to return.
Today we enter Week 16.
In case you missed it, here’s are our previous stories on the Fisher Cats’ simulated season so far.
- Pre-season
- Week 1 (end-of-week record: 2-4)
- Week 2 (end-of-week record: 5-8)
- Week 3 (end-of-week record: 9-11)
- Week 4 (end-of-week record: 11-17)
- Week 5 (end-of-week record: 13-22)
- Week 6 (end-of-week record: 16-24)
- Week 7 (end-of-week record: 19-27)
- Week 8 (end-of-week record: 21-33)
- Week 9 (end-of-week record: 23-36)
- Week 10 (end-of-week record: 24-40)
- Week 11 (end-of-week record: 28-45)
- Week 12 (end-of-week record: 31-49)
- Week 13 (end-of-week record: 33-53)
- Week 14 (end-of-week record: 37-55)
- Week 15 (end-of-week record: 39-60)
Monday, July 27 – Hartford 6, New Hampshire 3
MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Fisher Cats’ bats were held at bay as Hartford is now 9-8 on the year against New Hampshire.
Alejandro Kirk recorded a double for his third straight contest, but there was not much else of note for the ‘Cats as Hartford kept them scoreless over the final six innings of Monday’s game.
Thomas Pannone (2-8) was the losing pitcher for New Hampshire, giving up five earned runs over four innings of work, allowing a pair of home runs as well as four other hits and three walks.
Tuesday, July 28 – New Hampshire 11, Hartford 3
MANCHESTER, N.H. – Logan Warrmoth’s three-run homer gave the Fisher Cats an early lead that they would not relinquish in a comfortable win against the Yard Goats.
Warmoth added another two hits, joining Mac James and Ben Revere in collecting multiple hits as the Fisher Cats tallied 13 in total.
James and Deiferson Barreto also recorded doubles, putting New Hampshire at 192 two-baggers on the year, more than any other team in the Eastern League’s Eastern Division and more than any other team in the Eastern League than Altoona.
On the mound, Andrew Sopko pitched six innings to earn the win, improving his record to 3-8 on the season. Sopko allowed two earned runs off six hits without any walks, striking out eight Hartford batters.
Graham Spraker pitched three innings of relief to earn his third save of the day.
Earlier in the day, relief pitcher Tristan Archer was demoted to Dunedin.
Wednesday, July 29 – Hartford 3, New Hampshire 1
MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Hartford Yard Goats won the Plymouth Rock Assurance Cup, winning their season series with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, 10 games to nine.
New Hampshire got on the board first in the fourth, with Ben Revere setting the stage with a lead-off double. Revere would later score off a Mac James’ single, but the ‘Cats would leave the bases loaded.
In the fifth, Hartford tied things up thanks to Colton Welker’s RBI double and the Yard Goats settled things once-and-for-all in the eighth with a pair of runs off New Hampshire reliever James Dykstra.
The Fisher Cats managed just four hits on the day, with Deiferson Barreto collecting two and James also finishing with two. Christian Williams also joined Revere in ending the contest with a double.
Ryan Borucki lasted 4 2/3 innings in his start for the Fisher Cats, responsible for the first Hartford run as well as four hits and four walks.
Dykstra is now 2-2 on the year, recording four outs before leaving the contest.
Thursday, July 30 – New Hampshire 10, Harrisburg 6
HARRISBURG, Penn. – Nine runs in the eighth transformed what looked like certain defeat into almost certain victory as the Fisher Cats opened their series in the Keystone State’s capital with a win.
A total of 14 New Hampshire batters and two pitching changes were needed for the Senators to escape the eighth, erasing what had been a five-run deficit for the Fisher Cats coming into the inning.
Deiferson Barreto had a home run and a single during the rally, capping his 4-for-5 day. Mac James also had a strong outing for the Fisher Cats, going 2-for-5 with a double. Alejandro Kirk also had a double for the Fisher Cats, the sixth time in his past eight games where he’s recorded at least one double.
New Hampshire hurler Patrick Murphy was grateful for New Hampshire’s late offensive explosion after giving up ten hits over his six-inning appearance. Murphy allowed four earned run, with an unearned run coming in during the first six inning as well.
Louis Coleman (3-3) was the winning pitcher for New Hampshire, collecting eight of the game’s other nine outs after Murphy’s departure.
Friday, July 31 – Harrisburg 9, New Hampshire 7
HARRISBURG, Penn. – Harrisburg shortstop Manuel Geraldo hit a pair of homers for the Senators as they evened their series with the Fisher Cats.
After both teams put up a run in the first, New Hampshire took a 2-1 lead in the fourth before Geraldo’s first homer anchored a three-run fourth for Harrisburg.
While the two teams traded uneven amounts of runs, Harrisburg would not trail again, although New Hampshire threatened to send the contest into extras with a three-run rally in the ninth.
Harrisburg first baseman Drew Ward also had a home run, as did New Hampshire’s Josh Palacios.
Riley Adams and Alfredo Silverio each recorded doubles in the loss for New Hampshire, with Palacios, Silverio and Dieferson Barreto each finishing with multiple hits. Barreto now hits in eight straight games and 20 of his last 21 games.
On the mound, the loss went to Anthony Kay, who is now 5-7 on the year. Kay was lifted out of the game after 3 2/3 innings, giving up four runs off eight hits and four walks.
Saturday, Aug. 1 – New Hampshire 6, Harrisburg 3
HARRISBURG, Penn. – Five New Hampshire runs in the sixth proved to be the difference in this contest as the Fisher Cats opened their last full month of the season on a positive note.
Ten men came up to the plate, collecting five of the Fisher Cats’ seven hits on the day. Ben Revere was the only Fisher Cat with more than one hit during the game, although Ryan Noda reached on walks three times.
On the mound, Thomas Pannone (3-8) gave up three runs off five hits in six innings of work for the win. Kyle Regnault got his second hold of the season after keeping the Senators in check during the seventh and eighth innings, Brett Cecil earned his ninth save of the year after retiring the Senators in order in the ninth.
Sunday, Aug. 2 – New Hampshire 4, Harrisburg 3
HARRISBURG, Penn. – Andrew Sopko won his second straight start, helping the Fisher Cats escape Pennsylvania with a series win.
Sopko (4-8) did give up two runs in third, but that would be it during his five-inning excursion, limiting the Senators to just two hits and two walks.
Chandler Shepherd allowed the other run in the seventh, but stranded two Harrisburg runners in that inning to limit the damage. Shepherd and Kyle Regnault earned their third holds of the year for work in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, with Brett Cecil retiring the side in order in the ninth for the second straight day to get his tenth save.
At the plate, every Fisher Cat except for Ben Revere had at least one hit, with Josh Palacios, Brock Lundquist, Alfredo Silverio, Forrest Wall and Kevin Smith each collecting two hits.
Wall, Silverio and Christian Williams collected doubles and Brock Lundquist hit his 11th home run of the year in the third inning.
Earlier in the day, pitcher Thomas Hatch returned from a stint at Advanced-A Dunedin, with Joey Murray taking his place on the Dunedin roster.
Batter of the Week: Deiferson Barreto – The Venezuelan infielder is now the only Fisher Cat hitting over .300, collecting three hits on July 31, four hits on July 30 and two hits on July 29. His 0-for-4 day on Aug. 1 was his first hitless day since July 23 and July 23 was his first hitless day since July 6.
Pitcher of the Week: Brett Cecil – The Fisher Cat closer had three one-inning appearances and did not allow a baserunner in any of them, collecting two saves in the process.
