Offense Produces 10 Runs to Open Erie Series

ERIE, PA. — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (24-28) opened a six-game series against the Erie SeaWolves (28-22) with a 10-5 win at UPMC Park on Tuesday night. In his first Double-A game, second baseman Ryan McCarty recorded a double and a home run and drove in three runs to help power the Tuesday win.

McCarty was promoted to New Hampshire from High-A Vancouver and made an immediate impact, finishing 2-for-4 with his first professional Double-A homer in the top of the fifth. The 25-year-old also combined with shortstop Josh Kasevich to turn a double play.

Center fielder Garrett Spain and first baseman Rainer Nuñez also homered in Tuesday’s win. Spain blasted his team-leading eighth home run to put the Cats on the board in the top of the second. Nuñez led off the top of the sixth with a solo shot to left field.

Left-handed starter Trenton Wallace (W, 3-1) allowed two runs on four hits through five innings and picked up five strikeouts. Erie’s Troy Melton (L, 1-5) allowed four runs on seven hits through his five innings and gave up a pair of Fisher Cats homers.

Erie quickly took a 1-0 lead on an RBI double from Hao-Yu Lee off Wallace. After six Erie batters saw a plate appearance in the first inning, Wallace retired his next 11 batters consecutively, including four strikeouts.

The Fisher Cats responded with a pair of runs to take the lead in the top of the second. With two outs, Gabby Martinez singled to set the stage for Spain’s two-run home run to take a 2-1 lead. That score would hold until New Hampshire extended its lead in the fifth. After McCarty’s solo homer, Alex De Jesus notched a two-out double to plate Kasevich and push the New Hampshire lead to 4-1.

Erie knocked a run back in their favor with a leadoff solo home run from Eliezer Alfonso, his third of the season, to move the score to 4-2. The Fisher Cats nullified the Erie home run with a leadoff homer from Nuñez, his fourth since May 7, to reclaim a three-run lead at 5-2.

Left fielder Alan Roden manufactured another Cats run in the top of the seventh. The 2023 Blue Jays organization hitter of the year led off the inning with a double, advanced to third on a flyout to right field, and scored on a wild pitch to add to the Fisher Cats lead, 6-2.

Erie scored in the bottom of the seventh on a rather confounding play. With runners on first and second and two outs, SeaWolves right fielder Carlos Mendoza hit a deep fly ball to right. Devonte Brown juggled the ball, then collided with the outfield wall and dropped the baseball. Mendoza over-ran the Erie runner on first, who had stopped in the basepath. The runner on second came around to score before the final out. After seven innings, New Hampshire led, 6-3.

The Cats quickly expanded their lead in the top of the eighth. Catcher Phil Clarke, Martinez, Spain and McCarty smacked four straight hits. Spain plated Clarke, McCarty scored Martinez and Spain, and De Jesus bopped a two-out single to bring McCarty around. New Hampshire’s lead ballooned to 10-3.

Erie plated two runs in the eighth to reach the final of 10-5.

UPMC Park plays host to New Hampshire and Erie Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 PM EDT. The Eastern League’s reigning Pitcher of the Week, New Hampshire’s Michael Dominguez (1-0, 3.83 ERA) toes the rubber for the Fisher Cats, and RHP Austin Bergner (2-1, 6.18 ERA) starts for the SeaWolves.

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].