Late Surge Not Enough, Fisher Cats Fall to Hartford

Manchester, New Hampshire – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (3-2) fell just short in a comeback effort against the Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies, 3-2) on Wednesday, losing, 8-5. The defeat snapped New Hampshire’s three straight wins and was their first loss at home.

Steward Berroa, Tanner Morris, Will Robertson and Luis De Los Santos batted in four Fisher Cats runs across the eighth and ninth innings, but a strong Hartford start proved to be the difference.

Hartford scored two in the top of the first inning despite not tallying a hit. Three walks from Fisher Cats starter Elvis Luciano (L, 0-2), combined with a double-error, gave the Yard Goats the lead, 2-0. Just one of the runs was earned, and Luciano would exit the game with an apparent injury after the first.

New Hampshire scored in the bottom of the first, as Spencer Horwitz smacked a single past second base to score Tanner Morris. Horwitz now has a nine-game hit streak with the Fisher Cats dating back to September 2021. He finished the game with two hits.

The Yard Goats added two more runs in the second, this time on New Hampshire reliever Geison Urbaez. A three-run home run from Hartford cleanup man Willie MacIver in the fourth inning extended the Yard Goats lead to 7-1.

Hartford scored again in the eighth when Aaron Schunk hit a ground-rule double that got stuck in the left field wall. Coco Montes came home from second base, and Hartford led, 8-1, after seven innings.

Steward Berroa singled in the eighth to plate the second Fisher Cats run—Berroa’s fourth RBI over the last two games. Another scored on a Tanner Morris groundout in the eighth. In the ninth, a Sebastian Espino double and a Will Robertson single cut the deficit to three, 8-5.

With the Fisher Cats down to their final out, Hartford closer Gavin Hollowell struck out Chris Bec, leaving two New Hampshire runners stranded and ending the game.

Blair Calvo (W, 1-0) earned the victory in 1.1 innings of relief for Hartford. Yard Goats starter Karl Kauffmann threw 4.2 innings, allowing just one earned run on seven hits. He struck out eight Fisher Cats and walked just one.

The Fisher Cats’ six-game home stand rolls on on Thursday, April 14 at 6:35 p.m. with another matchup against the Hartford Yard Goats. The home stand includes another Atlas Fireworks show (April 16), 90s night and Kids Run the Bases sponsored by New Hampshire State Liquor Commission. Tickets 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.