Fisher Cats double down

HARTFORD, Conn. – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (30-27) and Hartford Yard Goats (32-26) split a Wednesday doubleheader at Dunkin’ Park, with the Yard Goats coming back to win game one, 4-3, and the Fisher Cats powering back for a 7-5 win in game two.

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

New Hampshire catcher Aaron Parker (5) slugged a two-run homer on the fifth pitch of game one in the top of the first, and Victor Arias (4) and Eddie Micheletti Jr. (9) each clobbered two-run homers in game two.

RHP Alex Amalfi struck out five batters and held Hartford to one run on four hits in game one. Game two starter Mason Olson fired four scoreless innings with one hit allowed until surrendering a pair of hits and two runs in the top of the fifth.

Top Takeaways

• New Hampshire launches three home runs in the doubleheader.
• Cats’ bats held to two hits in game one loss.
• RHP Alex Amalfi strikes out five in four innings in game one.
• LHP Mason Olson held Hartford scoreless on one hit through four innings.
• Second baseman Jay Harry records three-hit game in game two.

After the doubleheader split, Hartford leads Somerset (32-27) by a half-game advantage, with New Hampshire trailing first place by 1-1/2 games.

Game One

In game one, Yard Goats starter Konner Eaton (W, 4-0) entered the seventh in pursuit of a complete game but was removed after a double and a pair of walks. Eaton earned the win with six strikeouts and three runs on two hits, while Yard Goats righty Andrew Baker earned his fifth save.

Leading 2-1, Hartford rallied for three runs in the bottom of the sixth off New Hampshire’s Kelena Sauer (L, 1-1) to take a 4-2 lead into the final frame. Fisher Cats shortstop Nick Goodwin led off the seventh with a double to help New Hampshire rally to load the bases.

Following a bases-loaded walk to pinch-hitter Carter Cunningham, the Cats threatened by loading the bases and only had one out facing a 4-3 deficit. Left fielder Jorge Burgos flew out to left field, and representing the tying run, center fielder Victor Arias was thrown out at the plate to end the game.

Game Two

New Hampshire struck first in game two with four runs in the bottom of the third inning. The first three batters reached to begin the frame. Following a Patrick Winkel base hit and a Micheletti Jr. walk, second baseman Jay Harry singled in Winkel from second to give New Hampshire the game’s first run. With runners at the corners, Harry stole second to allow Micheletti Jr. break for the plate and steal home to turn the lead to 2-0.

Later in the frame with two outs, Arias launched his two-run homer to balloon the lead to 4-0. In the following inning, Micheletti Jr. Crushed his two-run homer, also with two outs, to give the Fisher Cats a 6-0 lead after four innings. The Yard Goats rallied for three runs in the top of the fifth to half New Hampshire’s lead to 6-3.

Righty-hander Caleb Freeman (1-0) earned his first win with New Hampshire with a pair of strikeouts in two innings.  The Fisher Cats ended their scoring with a Jackson Hornung RBI single in the bottom of the sixth, and righty Sam Gardner notched his first save with two strikeouts in a clean seventh.

The Fisher Cats and Yard Goats resume their seven-game series on Thursday night, with Fisher Cats RHP Jackson Wentworth (204, 4.64 ERA) slated to go against Hartford’s Jack Mahoney (2-0, 1.08 ERA) with a 7:10 p.m. first pitch from Dunkin’ Park.

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