Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice. But no matter how the New Hampshire Fisher Cats’ game on Thursday ended, it ended in five innings with a 3-1 road loss to the Trenton Thunder.
Between an excessive heat warning issued by the National Weather Service for Mercer County, New Jersey until 8 p.m. on Friday and continuing rain, the conditions were not optimal at the plate for either team.
The contest began with nine of the first 11 batters retired in order, with the Fisher Cats finally breaking through in the top of the fourth.
There a pair of doubles from Richard Urena and Ryan McBroom put the Fisher Cats on the board, giving the visitors some hope of improving on their horrible record against the Thunder this year.
But Eastern League All-Star Game MVP Zach Zehner responded immediately with a first pitch line drive single to begin the bottom of the fourth. Zehner’s hit was the first of four off New Hampshire’s John Straka, giving Trenton their three runs.
Trenton’s Jhalan Jackson was the only batter on either team with more than one hit, with both starting pitchers going the distances in the truncated contest.
Domingo Acevedo (4-0) earned his second victory against New Hampshire this month, allowing three hits in his five innings of work, striking out five and walking one.
Straka (1-1) pitched four innings, giving up six hits and a walk while striking out two.
With the loss, New Hampshire has clinched what will be their lowest season win total against Trenton in franchise history.
Sean Reid-Foley (6-7, 4.74 ERA) takes the mound for New Hampshire at 7 p.m. on Friday in the second game of the series, with Brody Koerner (2-1, 2.21 ERA) scheduled for Trenton.