Fisher Cats Shut Out Sea Dogs, Secure First Win
Portland, Maine – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (1-1) earned their first win of the season on Saturday, 3-0, over the Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox) in a rain-shortened, six inning game. Starting pitcher Nick Fraze was two outs away from a quality start but settled for a no
Portland, Maine – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (1-1) earned their first win of the season on Saturday, 3-0, over the Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox) in a rain-shortened, six inning game. Starting pitcher Nick Fraze was two outs away from a quality start but settled for a no decision.
The 6-foot-3 righty allowed no runs on three hits, walking one and striking out four. He threw 68 pitches and did not allow more than one baserunner in any inning.
“I felt good,” Fraze said after the win. “The sinker and slider were working for me. I got a lot of ground balls and had a lot of good defensive plays behind me.”
After Fraze forced a fly out from Portland third baseman Nick Sogard in the fifth, reliever Adrian Hernandez (W, 1-0) came in and struck out the next two batters.
Hernandez began the sixth on the mound before the game was considered complete due to rain.
The Fisher Cats scored all three runs in the first inning. Tanner Morris started off the game with a walk, one of his five walks over the last two games. After a Zac Cook fly out, Orelvis Martinez singled to set up Spencer Horwitz with runners on first and second.
Horwitz smacked a single into left field, and manager Cesar Martin waved Morris around third base. Portland left fielder Tyler Dearden threw Morris out at the plate without a cutoff for the second out.
Moments later, Sebastian Espino hit a single to the same spot in left field, and Martin again sent a runner home—this time it was Martinez. Dearden dropped the ball before throwing it in, and both Martinez and Horwitz scored to give New Hampshire a 2-0 lead.
Will Robertson continued the two-out rally with a single that scored Espino from second base and made it 3-0 Fisher Cats.
New Hampshire will face Portland on Sunday at 1 p.m. for a chance to win the three-game series. RHP Paxton Schultz is scheduled to start the game for New Hampshire. The Fisher Cats return to Delta Dental Stadium for a six-game homestand beginning Tuesday, April 12 against the Hartford Yard Goats. The homestand includes multiple Atlas Fireworks shows, 90s night and Kids Run the Bases sponsored by New Hampshire State Liquor Commission. Tickets for the upcoming homestand and for the season can be found 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.