New Hampshire Hardball

Fisher Cats 5/9, Patriots 4/0

MANCHESTER – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (19-23) won both games against the Somerset Patriots in a doubleheader Thursday at Delta Dental Stadium, 5-4 and 9-0.

Shortstop Josh Kasevich singled to clinch Game 1 in walk-off fashion, and the Fisher Cats scored nine runs on 13 hits in game two’s shutout victory.


GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX


In Game 1, lefty starter Trenton Wallace notched his third quality start of the month of May with five strikeouts and two walks. Somerset scored three runs on a pair of home runs to lead New Hampshire after three innings, 3-0.

Relievers Eric Pardinho and Ryan Boyer (W, 1-2) combined for five strikeouts and no walks or earned runs in the final three innings to ensure the game one win.

The Fisher Cats found the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth, beginning with Kasevich’s 11th double of the season. Third baseman Alex De Jesus singled and Kasevich scored on a throwing error to cut the deficit to 3-1.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, New Hampshire fought with three consecutive hits. After a De Jesus single, catcher Phil Clarke and left fielder Gabriel Martinez doubled consecutively to tie game one at 3-3.

The Fisher Cats held a chance to win the first game with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the seventh, but De Jesus popped out to force an extra frame. Somerset and New Hampshire each plated their inherited runners in the eighth inning. With second baseman Michael Turconi beginning the bottom of the ninth at second as the inherited runner, Kasevich singled to center to bring the winning run across and deliver New Hampshire’s first walk-off win of the season.

New Hampshire was the away team in Game 2, a make-up of the May 5 matchup which was postponed, due to rain.

In Game 2, first baseman Rainer Nuñez returned from the 7-day IL with a bang and smacked an opposite field two-run homer that plated catcher Zach Britton. The Fisher Cats plated runs in the fifth, when Britton singled in Roden, and sixth, as right fielder Garrett Spain scored from third on an errant attempt to nab a stealing Miguel Hiraldo. The Cats held a 4-0 lead heading into the top of the seventh.

Facing Somerset outfielder Aaron Palensky, who had come in to pitch, New Hampshire scored five runs on four hits, a walk and a hit batter in the top of the seventh. De Jesus and Turconi both doubled in the frame. After the Cats batted around, the score was 9-0.

Right-hander Nick Fraze tossed three scoreless innings for New Hampshire in his second start across Blue Jays affiliates in 2024. Southpaw Ian Churchill, righty Abdiel Mendoza (W, 3-4) and left-hander Jimmy Burnette combined to blank the Patriots from the fourth through seventh.

Friday is Mental Health Awareness night, presented by Anthem Health Plans of New Hampshire, Inc. There are also postgame fireworks at Delta Dental Stadium, presented by Hyundai. On the mound, righty Devereaux Harrison (1-2, 4.84 ERA) toes the rubber for the Fisher Cats against Somerset right-hander Bailey Dees (2-3, 3.99 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

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