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Fisher Cats sweep doubleheader

PORTLAND, MAINE – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (18-10) took both games of a Thursday night doubleheader over the Portland Sea Dogs (13-17) on Thursday night at Hadlock Field. Game 1 starter Gage Stanifer (W, 1-2) threw his first five-inning start in Double-A with five scoreless innings to help steer a 4-2 win. In Thursday’s second seven-inning game, the Fisher Cats needed 10 innings to settle the sweep over the Sea Dogs with a 7-5 final.

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

In Game 1, Stanifer tallied his first Double-A win behind five scoreless innings. He walked two, allowed four hits, and struck out three. Reliever Nate Garkow followed with a scoreless six and he struck out two. Righty Yondrei Rojas made his 2026 Fisher Cats debut and Conor Larkin (SV, 5) secured his fifth consecutive save.

Richard Gallardo started the second contest for New Hampshire and finished his outing on a high note after being tagged for three earned runs in the first. The righty tossed five innings and struck out eight, retiring the last 11 hitters he faced. Reliever Austin Marozas punched out a pair in his lone inning of work. RHP Aaron Munson (W, 1-0) pitched a season-long three innings and recorded his first Double-A win. Irv Carter IV (SV, 1) finished off the marathon game with a strong 1oth and locked down his first save of the season.

Top takeaways:

  • Game 1 began at 5:04 p.m., Game 2 ended at 10:56 p.m.
  • Conor Larkin has secured five consecutive saves dating back to April 23.
  • Gage Stanifer recorded his first Double-A win behind five shutout frames.
  • RHP Richard Gallardo gives up three-run first, settles in for season-high 8 Ks
  • Aaron Munson matched a season-long three innings to stave off the Sea Dogs late
  • Arjun Nimmala tallied his first Double-A RBI

Game 1

New Hampshire’s bats were quiet until the third inning. Infielder Cutter Coffey and catcher Patrick Winkel smacked back-to-back singles. Following a walk which loaded the bases, second baseman Adrian Pinto ripped a two-run double and put the Cats in front. Three batters later, first baseman Sean Keys plated a run on fielder’s choice and made it 3-0.

The Fisher Cats scored their final run of the game in the fifth. Left fielder Jackson Hornung reached on a leadoff single. He advanced to second on a groundout and scored on a Portland error which brought the score to 4-0.

The Sea Dogs plated a pair in the seventh on a double play and an error, but Larkin slammed the door and notched a game one win for New Hampshire.

Game 2

Portland scored three runs in the bottom of the first. With a runner on, outfielder Will Turner (3) mashed a two-run home run. Following a flyout, first baseman Ronald Rosario singled and scored one hitter later on a knock from second baseman Max Ferguson.

New Hampshire added a pair of runs in the second and tied the game in the fifth on an RBI single from Arjun Nimmala, his first Double-A RBI.

The game went into extra-innings as the Fisher Cats and Sea Dogs traded blows. In the eighth, infielder Nick Goodwin popped a sacrifice fly, but Portland outfielder Miguel Bleis tied the game on an RBI single.

New Hampshire scored another run in the ninth on RBI double from catcher Aaron Parker, but Portland answered again in bottom of the inning which made it 5-5.

The 10th inning was when the Fisher Cats pulled away. With runners at second and third, Goodwin pushed New Hampshire ahead on his second sacrifice fly. Two batters later, right fielder Eddie Micheletti Jr. lined an RBI single and made it 7-5. In the bottom of the inning, the Sea Dogs brought the potential winning run to the plate, but Carter struck out outfielder Nelly Taylor and completed a doubleheader sweep.

New Hampshire and Portland continue the series on Friday with a 6 p.m. first pitch. RHP Austin Cates (Double-A Debut) will start for the Fisher Cats, and the Sea Dogs will counter with RHP John Holobetz (1-3, 4.56 ERA). Coverage begins at 5:40 on WKXL and the Fisher Cats Radio Network.

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