New Hampshire Hardball

Fisher Cats 6/1, Patriots 5, 5

MANCHESTER – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (3-2, 37-35) and Somerset Patriots (2-3, 39-35) split a Saturday doubleheader at Delta Dental Stadium, with the Cats taking Game 1 behind a Hedbert Perez walk-off double, 6-5, and the Patriots scoring late in Game 2 to win, 5-1. The Fisher Cats have taken three of five this week and search for their first series win since May 5-10 at Portland.

In Game 1, New Hampshire starter Austin Cates struck out four and allowed four runs in his first five-inning start since June 9. Right-hander Caleb Freeman (W, 2-0) tossed a scoreless seventh and struck out one. Somerset reliever Trent Sellers (L, 1-3) allowed the winning run to cross in the seventh on a walk-off double.

Danny Thompson Jr. tossed five innings of one-run ball and struck out five in the Cats’ Game 2 loss. The North Carolina native has allowed one run in his first 14 innings with New Hampshire. After a perfect sixth, reliever Alex Amalfi (L, 2-6) allowed four runs to cross in the seventh and suffered the loss. Patriots starter Ben Hess countered Thompson Jr. with one run in 4-2/3 innings. Right-hander Tony Rossi (W, 1-0) notched his first Double-A win behind 1-1/3 innings out of the bullpen.

Top Takeaways

  • Game One
    • Righty starter Austin Cates (ND) walks four, strikes out four in game one.
    • Fisher Cats tally 10 hits in game one, eight hits for extra bases.
    • 1B Jorge Burgos goes 2-for-4 in game one, seventh multi-hit game this month.
    • 2B Cutter Coffey, SS Cade Doughty each record triples in game one.
    • CF Hedbert Perez delivers game-winning double in game one-s 6-5 win.
  • Game Two
    • Cats starter Danny Thompson Jr continues strong arrival to Double-A with five innings of one-run ball.
      • Over his three Double-A starts, Thompson Jr has allowed one run in 14 innings with four walks and 12 strikeouts.
      • Opposing hitters averaging .089 over 14 innings of work, 0.57 WHIP.
    • CF Victor Arias launches seventh homer of the season, his second this week.

Game One

New Hampshire struck first in game one. In the bottom of the first, center fielder Victor Arias walked and catcher Aaron Parker singled. With two on, first baseman Jorge Burgos ripped an RBI single. A double play brought in the second run of the inning as the Cats jumped ahead, 2-0.

After Somerset scored one in the third and three in the fourth, the Fisher Cats answered back. A pair of extra-base hits from shortstop Cade Doughty and Arias evened the score at four. In the fifth, left fielder Carter Cunningham laced a one-out double. Two batters later, third baseman Dub Gleed ripped an RBI double and made it 5-4.

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