Offense sputters in series opening defeat

MANCHESTER, N.H — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, provided little spark on offense, losing the series opener to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies by a score of 5-2 on Tuesday night at Delta Dental Stadium.

Binghamton (23-22, 58-56) hit three home runs off starting right-hander Luis Quinones, who took the loss after throwing 4.2 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and one walk with six strikeouts. Quinones has now struck out five or more batters in four straight starts.

In the second inning, Jeremiah Jackson hit a solo shot and Agustin Ruiz hit a three-run shot while Mets No. 2 prospect Drew Gilbert hit a solo homer in the fifth.

New Hampshire (18-26, 53-59) was shut out for the first seven innings before finally plating home its first run of the game in the eighth on a Leo Jimenez RBI single up the middle. The Blue Jays No. 6 prospect now has 43 RBI on the season and he extended his hit streak to nine games, his longest hit streak of the season.

In the ninth, Riley Tirotta inched the Fisher Cats closer with an RBI single up the middle to make it a three-run game.

Alan Roden represented the tying run at the plate with two runners on and two outs in the ninth. The Blue Jays No. 7 prospect singled up the middle but got caught in a run down after trying to advance to second with Phil Clarke having stopped at third and Tirotta having stopped at second. Roden was subsequently tagged out in between first and second to end the game.

Miguel Hiraldo collected a pair of hits on the night, boosting his team-high average in the month of August to .381.

Out of the bullpen, Adrian Hernandez threw two scoreless and hitless innings with three strikeouts and Troy Watson fired 2.1 scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts.

The Fisher Cats continue their penultimate home stand of the season against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies tomorrow at 7:05 pm. Blue Jays No. 1 prospect and LHP Ricky Tiedemann (0-3, 6.35 ERA) will get the start for New Hampshire against RHP Tyler Stuart (2-2, 4.34 ERA) for Binghamton.

Promotions for the week 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.