New Hampshire wins in 11th

MANCHESTER — After 10 innings of scoreless baseball, Chad Spanberger ripped an RBI single to left center in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays Double-A affiliate) a 1-0 win over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets) on Friday night at Delta Dental Stadium. It was New Hampshire’s ninth win in the last 11 games.

Per Minor League Baseball’s extra inning rules, a runner was automatically placed on second base in each extra frame. Cullen Large  was the Fisher Cats automatic runner in the 11th inning, and he moved up to third base on a sacrifice bunt from Logan Warmoth . The next batter, Spanberger, laced the game-winning hit into left center.

The starting pitchers turned in terrific outings. Fisher Cats starter Thomas Hatch allowed three hits in his seven innings, recording four strikeouts and no walks.

Binghamton knuckleballer Mickey Jannis went eight frames, allowing five hits with five strikeouts.

New Hampshire won the bullpen battle, with Danny Young  tossing a scoreless eighth and ninth, and Vinny Nittoli  (W, 3-2) keeping Binghamton off the board with a hitless 10th and 11th.

The  threatened in the top of the 10th inning, loading the bases with no outs. Nittoli induced a double play grounder (6-2-3) and struck out Jacob Zanon to give the Fisher Cats a walk-off chance in the bottom of the 10th.

Blake Taylor (L, 0-1) held New Hampshire scoreless in the bottom of the 10th, but surrendered the game’s only run in the 11th.