Fisher Cats can’t solve RubberDucks in series loss

MANCHESTER, N.H — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, dropped both games of the doubleheader to the Akron RubberDucks on Sunday afternoon, losing the first game 4-2 and the second game 5-2.

For the first time in six doubleheaders this season, New Hampshire has lost both games. The previous five had ended in splits.

In the first game, Akron scored four runs on four hits in the second off starting right-hander Adam Kloffenstein (4-3) to hand Kloffenstein his first loss since April 28 vs Hartford. The 22-year-old right-hander went 5.2 innings pitched, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out two. It’s the 10^th straight start where Kloffenstein has pitched at least five innings.

Zac Cook and Will Robertson drove in the lone runs of the game for New Hampshire in the second and third with RBI singles. It was Cook’s fourth RBI of the series and Robertson’s 27^th RBI of the season, which is third-best on the team.

Cook also turned a pair of double plays in his first start at second base at the Double-A level.

Right-handed reliever Fitz Stadler pitched his second straight scoreless outing with a 1-2-3 seventh since arriving from Triple-A Buffalo on Friday. It’s the first time Stadler has appeared for the Fisher Cats since 2021 after undergoing and recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2022.

In the second game, New Hampshire (32-30) scored two runs on just two hits while Akron (32-30) scored five runs on 10 hits.

Johnathan Rodriguez hit a pair of homers in a 3-for-4, three RBI day for the RubberDuck left-fielder.

Orelvis Martinez launched his 17^th home run of the season with an opposite-field homer in the first. Martinez remains one homer shy of the league lead behind Hartford’s Hunter Goodman.

Leo Jimenez doubled in a run in the fifth to make it a 4-2 game at the time, his 13^th extra base hit since being activated off the injured list on May 23. Before being placed on the injured list, the Blue Jays No. 19 prospect had just one extra base hit all year.

On the mound, right-hander Sem Robberse (0-5) got the start and gave up four runs on seven hits in five innings of work while striking out four, picking up the loss. The Blue Jays No. 7 prospect is still looking for his first Double-A win.

The Fisher Cats begin a six-game road trip against the Somerset Patriots with the first game of the series scheduled for Tuesday at 7:05 pm.

The next home stand for the Fisher Cats begins Wednesday, June 28 against the Portland Sea Dogs. Promotions include Pride Night Wednesday, Star Wars Night Thursday with postgame Atlas Fireworks, Italian Plumbers Appreciation Night Friday, and a Mega Blast Atlas Fireworks Weekend Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Tickets are available at NHFisherCats.com, via email at [email protected], over the phone at (603) 641-2005, or in-person at the Fisher Cats box office at 1 Line Drive in Manchester.