Martinez’s Late Homer the Difference in Akron 

AKRON, OH. – A seventh-inning home run from left fielder Gabriel Martinez was enough to lift the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (23-27) over the Akron RubberDucks (29-21) at Canal Park on Saturday night, 4-3. New Hampshire trailed 2-0 after the first inning, then plated four of the game’s next five runs to win their third contest of the six-game series in Akron.

Martinez’s fourth home run of the season came to break a 3-3 tie in the top of the seventh of Saturday’s game. Sharp bullpen outings from New Hampshire relievers Hunter Gregory (W, 4-1), Eric Pardinho and Jimmy Burnette (S, 3) held Akron scoreless through the game’s final four innings.

New Hampshire’s Adam Macko struck out seven batters and walked one in his five innings. Akron drove in three runs on five hits in Macko’s five frames. RubberDucks southpaw Ryan Webb struck out five batters and allowed three runs on four hits; reliever Jack Leftwich (L, 2-3) surrendered the solo home run to Martinez in the top of the seventh.

Akron staged an early threat with two runs in the bottom of the first inning off Macko. After getting hit by a pitch, Kahlil Watson advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third and advanced home on a throwing error. With two outs, Alexfri Planez knocked his seventh home run of the season to stretch the RubberDucks lead to 2-0.

After a pair of scoreless innings, the Fisher Cats rallied to tie Saturday’s game in the top of the fourth. Devonte Brown began the inning with a walk and Josh Kasevich was plunked by a pitch. Alex De Jesus poked a single to load the bases, then Rainer Nunez drove in New Hampshire’s first run of the night on a sacrifice fly to cut Akron’s advantage to 2-1. With two outs in the inning, catcher Phil Clarke drove Kasevich in from third on an RBI single to even the game at 2-2.

Both Akron and New Hampshire scored in the fifth. The Fisher Cats plated their third unanswered run in the top of the fifth on an RBI single from Brown. The RubberDucks tied Saturday’s game in the home half of the inning on a two-out, RBI triple from Akron’s Planez.

After Webb’s six-inning start concluded, Akron turned to Leftwich in the top of the seventh. New Hampshire broke the 3-3 tie on Martinez’s solo home run, his fourth home run of the season.

New Hampshire’s trio of relievers — Gregory, Pardinho and Burnette — combined for six strikeouts and stranded three runners on base from the sixth through ninth.

New Hampshire and Akron shake hands and go their separate ways after Sunday’s series finale and won’t meet again for the remainder of the regular season. Fisher Cats RHP CJ Van Eyk (2-2, 5.94) takes the mound against Akron’s Doug Nikhazy (0-0, 1.65 ERA) as both pitchers make their second and final start of the series.

Following a two-week road trip to Akron (May 28–June 2) and Erie (June 4–June 9), New Hampshire’s next homestand is June 11-16 against the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the San Francisco Giants’ Double-A club.

Fans can purchase multi-game memberships and single-game tickets at NHFishercats.com, via email at [email protected], by phone at (603) 641-2005, and in-person at the Fisher Cats box office on 1 Line Drive in Manchester.