Portland, Maine – Demi Orimoloye went 3-for-4 with a home run as the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays Double-A affiliate) held off the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox) 5-3 on Friday night for a fourth consecutive win.
Orimoloye’s third homer of the season, a solo shot in the top of the second inning, staked the Fisher Cats to an early 2-0 lead. Samad Taylor, who went 2-for-5, singled home a pair of runs in the fourth inning to make it 4-1, and Otto Lopez doubled home a run in the top of the ninth to give New Hampshire (34-37) a 5-3 lead.
Johnny Barbato (W, 2-2) earned the win, allowing just one run in his five innings. He allowed four hits, did not walk a batter, and struck out one. Emerson Jimenez, Brody Rodning, Sean Rackoski and Mike Ellenbest worked the game’s final four innings for the Fisher Cats. With a perfect ninth, Ellenbest earned his first save of the season.
Josh Winckowski (L, 5-2) took the loss for Portland (45-27). The Sea Dogs scored runs on an RBI single by Jeisson Rosario and a two-run single by Pedro Castellanos that cut New Hampshire’s lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The Fisher Cats will be back in action Friday at 5 p.m. for a doubleheader at Hadlock Field. Casey Lawrence and Luis Quiñones are scheduled to start for New Hampshire.