In the Eastern League’s Eastern Division, the Trenton Thunder are in first place and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats are in last place. So, one could say that Monday’s result between these two teams was no real surprise.
The Thunder completed their sweep of the Fisher Cats, leaving town with an 11-6 victory.
Like other games in the series, big inning rallies by Trenton negated New Hampshire’s offensive gains, putting four runs across the plate in the fifth and five in the seventh.
Trenton had five batters with two hits, with Dante Bichette Jr. getting three. Mike Ford added his tenth homer of the year for the Thunder while Tim Lopes and Richard Urena got four-baggers for the Fisher Cats.
On the mound, New Hampshire starter Shane Dawson ended with what would become a no decision, allowing seven hits and four earned runs in five innings while also recording eight strikeouts.
The loss would instead go to Alonzo Gonzalez (1-4), after he was unable to record a single out in Trenton’s seventh inning explosion.
Zack Littell (3-0) was the winner, scattering nine hits in six innings of work. Littell also allowed the first six runs of his tenure as a Double-A pitcher, five of them earned.
Although Littell and the Trenton bullpen stopped New Hampshire from inflicting too much damage, New Hampshire did end the day with 12 hits.
Urena, Harold Ramirez and Derrick Loveless each ended the day with two hits while Lopes went 3-for-4 at the plate, adding a double to his homer.
New Hampshire heads back to Maine for another series against the Portland Sea Dogs. In Tuesday’s 6 p.m matchup, Sean Reid-Foley (4-6, 4.82) takes the mound for New Hampshire against southpaw Henry Owens.
Tuesday’s contest will mark the first start for Owens since his demotion on June 26. So far this year in the International League, Owens posted a 4-5 record with a 3.91 ERA.
