ERIE, Pa. – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (26-30) dropped a Saturday night contest at UPMC Park to the Erie SeaWolves (30-24) by a score of 10-5.
Shortstop Josh Kasevich produced four of New Hampshire’s 11 hits, his third four-hit game of the season.
BOX SCORE
In his first season in the Eastern League, Kasevich leads the league in hits (67) and is tied for the second-best batting average (.315) with Portland’s Matthew Lugo.
Erie and New Hampshire combined to score 11 runs through the first three innings. New Hampshire produced an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, thanks to consecutive singles from Kasevich and left fielder Alan Roden.
In the bottom of the first inning, Erie promptly evened Saturday’s score with a two-run home run by designated hitter Jake Holton off New Hampshire’s CJ Van Eyk (L, 2-3). The SeaWolves extended their lead to 6-2 in the bottom of the second inning, as Erie produced a run-scoring single by catcher Julio Rodriguez and a Holton RBI double.
Holton finished Saturday’s game with a 3-for-3 line with three extra-base hits and drove in five runs.
The Fisher Cats fought and had a response of their own in the top of the third inning. The first five New Hampshire batters reached safely, beginning with a solo home run from right fielder Devonte Brown. Kasevich and Roden again singled consecutively, and a Rainer Nunez walk set up catcher Zach Britton for a bases-loaded double to move the deficit to 6-5.
New Hampshire forced Erie starter Garrett Burhenn out of Saturday’s game after tagging the righty for five runs on six hits in two innings. The SeaWolves bullpen carried the effort, however, and held New Hampshire scoreless after the third inning. Erie reliever Garrett Hill (W, 1-1) struck out four batters and did not allow a run on his two hits surrendered.
The SeaWolves extended their lead to 7-5 with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Erie knocked a pair of home runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, including the second home run of the game for the designated hitter Holton.
The Fisher Cats finished 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position to Erie’s 5-for-11.
New Hampshire concludes the Erie series and ends a two-week road trip altogether with a Sunday 1:35 p.m. first pitch. Fisher Cats LHP Trenton Wallace (3-1, 2.64 ERA) makes his second showing of the series and faces Erie RHP Troy Melton (1-5, 5.11 ERA).
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