New Hampshire Falls in Walk-off

Altoona, Pa. – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (8-7) lost in the bottom of the ninth, 5-4, to the Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates, 7-8) on Sunday in the final game of a six-game series. The defeat was New Hampshire’s fourth to Altoona and cemented their first series loss of 2022.

Curve infielder Andres Alvarez hit the walk-off single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to score Connor Scott from third base. Scott stole third base on a close play just one batter earlier.

New Hampshire led, 4-0, after four innings but surrendered five runs across the final five innings.

With the Fisher Cats up, 1-0, entering the third, Orelvis Martinez hit his sixth home run of the season. He is now tied for first in the Eastern League in homers.

Luis De Los Santos also singled in the third for his ninth hit of the series. De Los Santos entered Wednesday with a .130 batting average and is now hitting .293 after a 9-for-18, 7 RBI week. He has a five-game hit streak as well. New Hampshire led, 4-0, at the end of the third.

On the mound, Fisher Cats starter Hayden Juenger worked 4.0 innings and faced the minimum 12 batters. He allowed no runs and one hit, walked none and struck out two. Juenger picked off the only baserunner he allowed in the second inning at first base.

Altoona scored three runs across innings five and six. Curve catcher Blake Sabol delivered two RBI singles.

New Hampshire led, 4-3, entering the seventh with reliever Trey Cumbie on the mound. The lefty faced a two-out jam with runners on the corners. He was up in the count, 0-2, to Nick Gonzales, the No. 1 prospect in the Pirates system, when he was called for balk on a pickoff move to first base. Connor Scott came home to score on the call, though Fisher Cats manager Cesar Martin argued the ruling. The run tied the game, 4-4.

The Fisher Cats threatened with the bases loaded in the eighth but could not plate any runs. They left a season-high 11 runners on base. New Hampshire tallied just three hits in the game but walked a season-high 12 times.

In the ninth, Scott again advanced on a contested play. He stole third base on a strikeout pitch, and Martin again argued the call. De Los Santos, who applied the tag, was also visibly frustrated with the safe call. Scott scored the game-winning run on the Alvarez single, and Altoona won, 5-4.

Next up, New Hampshire returns to Delta Dental Stadium to play the Reading Fightin Phils (Philadelphia Phillies) from Tuesday, April 26 through Sunday, May 1. Tickets for the six-game homestand 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.