Fisher Cats rally with seven-run sixth in victory

MANCHESTER, N.H — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, rallied from down six runs to beat the Binghamton Rumble Ponies 14-8 on Friday night at Delta Dental Stadium.

Trailing 8-3 entering the bottom of the sixth, New Hampshire (19-28, 54-61) scored seven runs in the sixth inning all with two outs to take the lead for good. The win snapped a three-game losing streak to Binghamton (25-23, 60-57).

Miguel Hiraldo launched a grand slam to the batter’s eye in center for his second home run of the game to trim the deficit down to one. Hiraldo hit a two-run homer in the first inning, part of a six-RBI night for the second baseman. It’s the 22-year-old’s second six-RBI game this month and he has now driven in 26 RBI in the month of August, the most by a Fisher Cat in a single month this season.

After a walk and a dropped pop fly error by Jeremiah Jackson, Steward Berroa came off the bench and drilled a three-run pinch-hit home run to right-center off Nolan Clenney (1-2) to give the Fisher Cats a 10-8 lead. It’s only the seventh Fisher Cat pinch-hit homer in team history and the first since Cavan Biggio’s pinch hit homer at Harrisburg on May 10, 2018.

New Hampshire plated home three more runs in the seventh on RBI singles by Alan Roden, Leo Jimenez and Will Robertson and one more run in the eighth on an RBI double by Roden.

Hiraldo led the way with three hits and six RBI while Roden collected three hits and three RBI, including a solo home run in the fifth, his fifth at Double-A. Andres Sosa also tallied three hits with a pair of doubles.

Right-handed reliever Fitz Stadler (2-0) picked up the win for New Hampshire after pitching 1.1 scoreless innings and inducing an inning-ending double play in the seventh with the bases loaded. New Hampshire turned five double plays on the night, only twice that has happened in team history.

Right-hander Adrian Hernandez closed the door with two scoreless innings and a strikeout.

The Fisher Cats continue their penultimate home stand of the season against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies tomorrow at 7:05 pm. RHP Chad Dallas (6-1, 4.10 ERA) will get the start for New Hampshire against RHP David Griffin (1-1, 4.26 ERA) for Binghamton.

Promotions for the weekend include Love Your Heart Night Saturday, presented by Dartmouth Health and a Pencil Pouch Giveaway Sunday with Kids Run the Bases Postgame, sponsored by the N-H Liquor Commission Division of Enforcement.

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