Pearson shines in loss

MANCHESTER – Blue Jays top pitching prospect Nate Pearson  dazzled the Delta Dental Stadium crowd with 5.2 innings of dominant no-hit pitching, but the Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals Double-A affiliate) rallied for five runs in the top of the ninth inning to stun the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays) 5-3 on Wednesday night.

BOX SCORE

Pearson, the No. 28 overall pick in the 2017 Draft, matched a season-high with eight strikeouts and walked just one batter. He left the game to a rousing ovation with two outs in the sixth inning due to his pitch count (74).

When Pearson left the game, the Fisher Cats had a 3-0 lead thanks to a first-inning sacrifice fly from Vinny Capra and a two-run double by Santiago Espinal  in the fifth.

Dante Bichette Jr. broke up New Hampshire’s no-hit bid in the seventh by flaring a double down the right field line against Jake Fishman  (H, 4), who kept Harrisburg off the board for 1.1 relief innings.

William Ouellette  recorded a hitless eighth, but Harrisburg started the ninth with three singles, including an RBI from Drew Ward, to make it 3-1.

Corey Copping  (L, 0-1) (BS, 1) came in and recorded all three outs in the ninth inning, but not before Tres Barrera hit an RBI single to bring Harrisburg within one run, and Nick Banks hit a two-run triple to give the Senators a 4-3 lead. He came home on a wild pitch to cap the scoring at 5-3.

Espinal and Kevin Smith  each went 2-for-4 for New Hampshire.