Three Hits From Alford Snap Fisher Cats’ Losing Streak

Sign Up For Our FREE Daily eNews!

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats broke a four-game losing streak on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Binghamton Rumble Ponies 3-2 in 11 innings.

Binghamton got on the board first with a Kevin Kaczmarski single to right field in the fourth. That play, which included a fielding error by Fisher Cats right fielder Anthony Alford, concluded with Kaczmarski at second and David Thompson reaching the plate.

Kaczmarski couldn’t advance further in that inning, but he’d spark Binghamton’s second run in the sixth. There, he reached on a fielder’s choice that caught Thompson at second, allowing Tomas Nido to score. However, he’d advance to second again on another error, this time by Lourdes Gurriel.

Again, the Ponies were unable to move Kaczmarski further, with the Fisher Cats capitalizing half an inning later.

That inning began with a first-pitch double by Alford. He would score on the next at-bat thanks to a Harold Ramirez grounder down the middle of the infield.

The Fisher Cats couldn’t tie the game up there, but Alford would complete any lingering redemption required for his earlier error for a solo shot to right center in the top of the ninth.

Alford would trigger another rally in the 11th, coming home on a sacrifice fly from Gurriel that proved to be the contest’s final run.

This was the first multi-hit game for Alford since returning to New Hampshire on a major league rehabilitation assignment, and his third three-hit game for the Fisher Cats this season. It was also his second three-hit game against Binghamton in 2017, the other coming on April 9.

Binghamton first baseman Matt Oberste also had three hits in the contest while Thompson contributed a pair of hits for the Rumble Ponies.

With New Hampshire starting pitcher Francisco Rios slowly returning from injury once again, the Fisher Cats’ Sunday pitching performance was an ensemble effort, with Dusty Isaacs picking up the win for his six outs in extra innings.

Issacs (3-2) had three consecutive strikeouts in the 10th and added another 1-2-3 inning in the 11th to close out the victory.

Binghamton also relied heavily on its bullpen after rehabilitating pitcher Tommy Milone left at the end of the third.

The loss would go to Drew Smith, who came in to relieve Marcos Molina at the start of the 10th.

Smith (0-1) only allowed one hit in his Rumble Ponies debut, coming into the New York Mets organization in last week’s trade that saw Mets first baseman Lucas Duda head to Tampa Bay.

The Fisher Cats now return to Manchester for a three-game series against the Bowie BaySox, starting on Tuesday night at 7:05. In the series opener, New Hampshire’s Sean Reid-Foley (7-8, 4.58 ERA) will take on Bowie’s Jesus Liranzo (1-3, 4.67 ERA).

About this Author

Andrew Sylvia

Assistant EditorManchester Ink Link

Born and raised in the Granite State, Andrew Sylvia has written approximately 10,000 pieces over his career for outlets across Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. On top of that, he's a licensed notary and licensed to sell property, casualty and life insurance, he's been a USSF trained youth soccer and futsal referee for the past six years and he can name over 60 national flags in under 60 seconds according to that flag game app he has on his phone, which makes sense because he also has a bachelor's degree in geography (like Michael Jordan). He can also type over 100 words a minute on a good day.