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Rock Cats off to Best Home Start in 14 Years; Defeat NH 4-1

April 19, 2015 - Eastern League (EL1)
New Britain Rock Cats News Release


New Britain, CT - The New Britain Rock Cats beat the New Hampshire Fisher Cats by the score of 4-1 on Sunday afternoon.

With this victory, the Rock Cats are off to their best home start since 2001, the year they won the Eastern League Championship. That season they started 7-0 at New Britain Stadium, sweeping the opening home stand against Portland and the then-Norwich Navigators.

For the second time in as many days, the visiting Fisher Cats jumped out to a 1-0 lead after their at-bats in the top half of the first. CF Jon Berti led off the game with a single off of Rock Cats starter RHP Matt Flemer and quickly moved to third on a single from LF Dwight Smith in the following at-bat. Berti would cross the plate after Flemer got 1B K.C. Hobson to ground into a 4-3 fielder's choice.

The lead would be short-lived however as New Britain answered back with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the opening frame. LF Noel Cuevas, who had the day off of Saturday, quickly got back into action with an RBI single that scored RF Tyler Massey and sent C Tom Murphy to third. Massey had the first hit, a one-out single, for the Rock Cats off of Fisher Cats starter LHP John Anderson and Murphy lined a double out to left.

After 3B Jayson Langfels drew a walk, the Cats' had bases loaded with two outs and DH Will Swanner drove Anderson's offering to straightaway center. The liner was misplayed by Berti and allowed both Murphy and Cuevas to score and gave New Britain the 3-1 lead.

The Rock Cats continued to make good on their Media Day promise to be aggressive on the basepaths, stealing three bases on the day and it was heads up baserunning that turned in New Britain's fourth run of the day.

In the bottom of the sixth, Swanner drew a walk by Fisher Cat reliever RHP Matt West, stole second base and scored from second on an infield single from 2B Pat Valaika. 3B Ryan Schimpf made a diving stop on the ball but could not throw out the speedy Valaika and Swanner went full speed into home to make it a 4-1 ballgame.

Once again, New Britain received solid starting pitching en route to victory. Flemer went six strong for his first win of 2015 (1-1), allowing just the one run on three hits while walking one and striking out four.

Anderson was removed by Fisher Cat manager Bobby Meacham after hitting the 80 pitch mark before recording an out in the bottom of the fourth. The southpaw allowed three runs, all earned, on five hits while walking three and striking out three. He falls to 0-1 on the season.

Monday's game will bring a new opponent into New Britain - the Portland Seadogs. The Rock Cats send LHP Ryan Carpenter to the hill to face off against RHP Justin Haley who goes for the Boston Red Sox's affiliate. First pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m.

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Eastern League Stories from April 19, 2015


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