McCarty Homers Again, Cats Win Two in a Row 

ERIE, PA. — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (26-29) took down the Erie SeaWolves (29-24) on Friday night at UPMC Park, 4-1. New Hampshire starter Adam Macko (W, 4-2) struck out eight batters in six innings for his second quality start in his last three appearances.

Macko, the Blue Jays No. 9 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, struck out at least one batter in five of his six innings. The southpaw sat down the side in the third. Macko recorded New Hampshire’s second straight quality start; righty Devereaux Harrison allowed two runs in six innings Thursday.

New Hampshire first baseman Ryan McCarty hit his second home run of the week since joining the Fisher Cats roster on June 1. McCarty plated three of the Fisher Cats’ four runs to raise his RBI count to six in the series.

McCarty’s three-run home run off of Erie starter Wilkel Hernandez (L, 2-2) opened the scoring on Friday night, as New Hampshire grabbed the first lead in the top of the fifth, 3-0. The blast also ushered left fielder Gabby Martinez and second baseman Miguel Hiraldo home. Erie quickly scored in the bottom of the fifth to cut the Cats lead to 3-1.

The Fisher Cats scrapped across an insurance run in the eighth. Right fielder Alan Roden was hit by a pitch and hustled from first to third on a Rainer Nuñez single. With runners on the corners and one out, Martinez chopped a ground ball to third, but Erie second baseman Hao-Yu Lee misfired on the double play turn to first. Roden scored on the grounder to add to the New Hampshire lead, 4-1.

The Cats bullpen went to work when Macko departed after six scoreless frames. Andrew Bechtold quickly retired three SeaWolves in the seventh, and Jimmy Burnette did the same in the eighth. The first two batters Ryan Boyer faced in the ninth reached on infield singles, but Boyer stranded them both with three prompt popouts to earn his third save of the season.

New Hampshire has now won three of its first four games at UPMC Park. The Cats are 6-4 with two games left of their 12-game road trip.

The Fisher Cats and SeaWolves play the penultimate game of their six-game series on Saturday, June 8 with a 6:05 PM EDT first pitch. New Hampshire RHP C.J. Van Eyk (2-2, 6.03 ERA) toes the rubber against Erie RHP Garrett Burhenn (1-4, 3.11 ERA). Erie and New Hampshire wrap the series on Sunday, June 9 with a 1:35 PM first pitch from UPMC Park.

Following the end of a two-week road trip, the Fisher Cats return to Delta Dental Stadium to begin back-to-back weeks of baseball in Manchester. The Fisher Cats begin a six-game series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels on Tuesday, June 11. After six games against Richmond, the Fisher Cats welcome the Reading Fightin’ Phils to Manchester from Tuesday, June 18 through Sunday, June 23.

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.

About the New Hampshire Fisher Cats

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays and play their games at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester. Over 155 former Fisher Cats have reached the Major League level. The Fisher Cats have raised millions of dollars for various charities through the Fisher Cats Foundation and continuously strive to improve the quality of life for Granite State residents. The organization has been recognized as New Hampshire Business Review’s “Best Sporting Event to Take Clients to”, Parenting New Hampshire Magazine’s “New Hampshire’s Favorite Sporting Event for Families”, and New Hampshire Magazine’s “Best New Hampshire Sports Team”. For more information on the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, please visit NHFisherCats.com, call (603) 641-2005, or contact Chris Jared via email at [email protected].