Fisher Cats shut out by Rumble Ponies for second time in series

BINGHAMTON, N.Y — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, were shut out by the Binghamton Rumble Ponies for the second time this week by a score of 6-0 on Thursday night at Mirabito Stadium.

It’s the seventh time the Fisher Cats have been shut out this season after they were shut out on Tuesday by a score of 2-0.

New Hampshire (9-18, 44-51) racked up only four hits on the night as Binghamton starting right-hander Tyler Stuart (2-0) and left-hander Tyler Thomas combined for the shutout. Stuart threw seven innings with five strikeouts in only his fourth Double-A start while Thomas finished out the game with two innings and four strikeouts in the victory.

After a scoreless game through five innings, Binghamton (14-15, 49-49) broke through in the sixth with an RBI double by JT Schwartz off right-hander Juan Nunez (1-3). Schwartz already has 10 hits in the series, going 3-for-4 for the second night in a row, and his run-scoring hit snapped Nunez’s consecutive scoreless inning streak at 13.1 innings.

In the seventh, Matt O’Neill plated home a run on a double to center with a second run scoring on the play after a throwing error by Miguel Hiraldo.

The Rumble Ponies tacked on three more runs in the eighth off right-hander T.J. Brock to put the game away for good.

Rainer Nunez led the team with two hits while Will Robertson and Trevor Schwecke tallied a hit each. Steward Berroa’s 24-game on-base streak came to an end after an 0-for-4 night at the plate. Berroa and Leo Jimenez are tied for the longest on-base streak by a Fisher Cat this season at 24 games.

Starting right-hander Luis Quinones made his sixth start of the season for New Hampshire. The 26-year-old Puerto Rican threw a season-high five scoreless innings and gave up just two hits and one walk while striking out five in a no-decision. It’s the first time this season that Quinones has gone five innings in a start.

The Fisher Cats continue their road trip tomorrow night against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at 7:05 pm. RHP Michael Dominguez (0-0, -.-- ERA) will make his Double-A debut for New Hampshire against RHP Luis Moreno (7-4, 4.59 ERA) for Binghamton.

The next Fisher Cats home stand begins on Tuesday, August 8 against the Reading Fightin’ Phils. Promotions for the week include First Responders Night Thursday with postgame Atlas Fireworks, presented by Eastern Propane & Oil, UNH Soccer Night Friday, Wizards & Wands Night Saturday, presented by Belletetes, and a Cooler Bag Giveaway Sunday, presented by Coke Northeast, with Kids Run the Bases Postgame, sponsored by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission Division of Enforcement.

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.