Four home runs power Fisher Cats to victory
HARTFORD, C.T — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, played home run derby at Dunkin’ Park in a 10-2 win over the Hartford Yard Goats on Saturday night to even the series three games apiece. New Hampshire (17-25, 52-58) hit four home runs
HARTFORD, C.T — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, played home run derby at Dunkin’ Park in a 10-2 win over the Hartford Yard Goats on Saturday night to even the series three games apiece.
New Hampshire (17-25, 52-58) hit four home runs on the night with Steward Berroa setting off the fireworks early with a solo homer in the third, his sixth on the year. Berroa has homered in back-to-back games.
After Miguel Hiraldo drew a walk, Leo Jimenez launched his eighth homer of the season with a two-run shot to left-center which gave New Hampshire a 3-1 lead after the third.
The Fisher Cats scored three in the fifth on a Berroa RBI double, a Hiraldo sac-fly and a Jimenez RBI single to extend their lead 6-1. Berroa and Jimenez both collected three hits on the night and Jimenez drove in a game-high three RBI.
In the eighth, Will Robertson hit his second homer of the series and his 10th of the season with an opposite field shot to left. Robertson has hit four home runs this season against Hartford.
Alan Roden picked up his 12th hit of the series with a two-run homer in the ninth, his fourth homer at Double-A. The Blue Jays No. 7 prospect has homered in back-to-back games and has multi-hit performances in four of his last five games.
New Hampshire has blasted 10 home runs in its last three games against Hartford (20-22, 50-60) since game two of the doubleheader on Thursday.
Starting right-hander Alejandro Melean (3-1) made his fifth start of the season. The 22-year-old Venezuelan threw six innings, allowed two runs on five hits and one walk with three strikeouts to pick up the win. It’s the longest start of Melean’s professional career. His previous longest start was 5.2 innings on September 19, 2021 while with High-A Vancouver.
Out of the bullpen, Juan Nunez pitched two scoreless innings with two strikeouts and T.J Brock struck out the side in the ninth.
The Fisher Cats finish their road trip against the Hartford Yard Goats tomorrow afternoon at 1:10 pm. RHP Chad Dallas (5-1, 4.06 ERA) will get the start for New Hampshire against LHP Joe Rock (1-8, 5.21 ERA) for Hartford.
The next Fisher Cats home stand begins Tuesday, August 22 against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. Promotions include College & Back to School Night Thursday, presented by SNHU and postgame Atlas Fireworks, Hockey Night in New Hampshire Friday, presented by US Cellular, 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, or in-person at the Fisher Cats box office at 1 Line Drive in Manchester.