Fisher Cats win EL title

MANCHESTER — With an 8-5 win in Game 3 of the Eastern League Championship Series, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays Double-A affiliate) swept the Akron RubberDucks (Cleveland Indians), and clinched the third title in franchise history, and first since 2011.

Harold Ramirez, who went 8-for-20 with 5 RBIs in the postseason, was voted playoff MVP. The Fisher Cats also swept the Trenton Thunder (New York Yankees) in the divisional round, thus completing a perfect 6-0 playoff run.

The Fisher Cats scored two runs in the first inning on a Pat Cantwell RBI double and a sacrifice fly from Josh Palacios, and never trailed.

Jon Berti‘s two-run single in the fourth inning turned a 4-2 lead into a 6-2 cushion, and Cavan Biggio‘s leadoff homer in the fifth gave the Fisher Cats a 7-3 advantage.

Ramirez hit an RBI double to extend the lead to 8-3, and Akron’s late rally wasn’t enough to overcome New Hampshire’s lead.

Jordan Romano got the start for New Hampshire, and left the game with a 6-3 lead after 4.1 innings. Danny Young (W), allowed just one run in two frames, while Kirby Snead (0.2 IP, 1 H), Dusty Isaacs (1 IP, 1 K) and Travis Bergen (1 IP, 1 ER) did the rest.