PORTLAND, MAINE – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (19-10) walloped three home runs and tallied 19 hits in a 15-13 extra-innings victory against the Portland Sea Dogs (13-18) on Friday night at Delta Dental Park. In the top of the 10th, designated hitter Sean Keys (10) clobbered a go-ahead two run blast, which was enough for the Cats to secure their fourth win of the series.
Fisher Cats shortstop Arjun Nimmala led New Hampshire’s offense with four hits, his second four-hit night in his professional career. Nimmala’s fourth hit came as a two-out, run-scoring double in the top of the ninth, a run that proved to be crucial. Portland tied Friday’s game with three runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extras for the second consecutive night.
New Hampshire RHP Austin Cates made his Double-A debut and tossed four innings. He allowed three runs on four hits, and he struck out a pair in the win. Reliever Kai Peterson (W, 1-0) recorded the final four outs and notched his first win of the season. Portland righty John Holobetz was tagged for five runs and did not make it past the first inning. Infielder Tyler McDonough (L, 0-1) took the loss as he allowed two runs in the 10th.
Tonight’s top takeaways:
- Arjun Nimmala with his second four-hit game of his pro career, RBI double in ninth
- New Hampshire scored five in the first, saw 8-1 lead diminish
- 19 New Hampshire hits marks new season high
- Sean Keys knocks 10th homer, his first home run since April 24. Tied for second-most in the league
- RHP Austin Cates allows a solo homer as only damage through three innings before two-run fourth
- Fisher Cats earn first road series win with four in a row in Portland
The Cats’ bats exploded out of the gate. With one out, New Hampshire loaded the bases on an Arjun Nimmala single, a Jace Bohrofen double, and a Keys walk. The next batter, second baseman Jay Harry, laced a three-run double. Two batters later, left fielder Jackson Hornung reached on an error which plated Harry. First baseman Jorge Burgos capped the inning with an RBI double and New Hampshire jumped out to a five-run lead.
The Fisher Cats added two in the second. With two outs and a runner on, Harry smacked an RBI double. Infielder Cutter Coffey ripped an RBI single, and it became a 5-0 game.
Portland and New Hampshire traded home runs. In the bottom of the second, Sea Dogs’ first baseman Brooks Brannon (3) clubbed a solo home run. In the top of the fourth, Bohrofen (9) cracked an opposite-field home run which made it 6-1.
The Sea Dogs rallied in the fourth and fifth with five runs, the final three being on home runs from outfielder Nelly Taylor (2) and designated hitter Nate Baez (4).
After New Hampshire scored a run in the sixth inning, Eddie Micheletti Jr. (5) clobbered a three-run home run in the seventh.
Trailing 12-6, Portland closed the gap with four in the bottom of the seventh, which included another home run from Brannon.
New Hampshire’s Nimmala ripped an RBI double in the ninth for his fourth hit of the game, but the Sea Dogs tied the game at 13 which sent the game to extra-innings.
In the 10th, Keys hammered a two-run home run and gave New Hampshire a 15-13 lead. Peterson slammed the door in the bottom of the tenth, guaranteeing a series win for the Cats against Portland.