Cats Can’t Force Decisive Runs Across, Fall to Binghamton

MANCHESTER, NH — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (3-11, 33-49) were defeated by the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (9-6, 44-38) at Delta Dental Stadium Friday, 6-4. New Hampshire knocked 12 hits, but stranded 14 runners on base, a season high.

Devonte Brown hammered his eighth home run of the year, a two-run blast in the bottom of the eighth. Gabriel Martinez bopped three hits, which tied a season-high set on May 30.

Right-hander Abdiel Mendoza (L, 6-6) got a late starting nod for the Fisher Cats. The Panamanian held Binghamton scoreless for the first three innings. Mendoza struck out three in his second start of the year. The Ponies scored four runs against Mendoza in the top of the fourth.

Binghamton’s Nolan McLean threw the first four innings and followed a similar arc to Mendoza’s. McLean struck out three and kept the Fisher Cats off the board until the fourth. Jeffery Colon (W, 1-0) picked up the win after he replaced McLean for the fifth and sixth.

In the top of the fourth, Rumble Ponies catcher Kevin Parada hit a two-run homer off Mendoza; Jeremiah Jackson doubled, then scored on a throwing error which allowed Jaylen Palmer to reach; Palmer came home on a Stanley Consuegra double. Binghamton wrapped up the half-inning with a four-spot.

New Hampshire quickly responded in the bottom of the frame. Back-to-back singles from Brown and third baseman Cade Doughty kicked off the frame. Martinez then cracked a double to center field to score both runs and cut Binghamton’s lead in half, 4-2.

The Rumble Ponies pushed their fifth run across in the top of the seventh against Adrian Hernandez — who hadn’t allowed an earned run since June 5 — on two singles, a stolen base and a passed ball.

Brown led the Cats’ bounce back in the bottom of the seventh. After first baseman Rainer Nuñez walked, Brown clubbed a hanging slider into the left field pavilion to cut Binghamton’s lead to 5-2. Brown is now tied with Nuñez for the second-most New Hampshire homers; Garrett Spain leads the team with nine.

The Fisher Cats loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth, but Brown sprayed a line drive into the grasp of Binghamton first baseman Ryan Clifford. The Rumble Ponies then tacked on one more in the top of the ninth. Clifford singled, advanced to second on a Parada walk, then second baseman Rowdey Jordan singled Clifford home to make it 6-4, Ponies.

The Fisher Cats honor the 2011 Eastern League Championship team Saturday at Delta Dental Stadium with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 PM EDT. Lefty Trenton Wallace (3-2, 2.65 ERA) returns to the mound for New Hampshire, and Luis Moreno (2-2, 4.09 ERA) toes the rubber for Binghamton.

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].