Late Rally Not Enough In 5-4 Loss
April 13, 2008 - Eastern League (EL1)
Connecticut Defenders News Release
Manchester, NH- On a chilly Sunday afternoon at Merchantsauto.com Stadium, the Defenders fell to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats despite a late inning surge, 5-4.
Connecticut would get on the board first as they scored two runs in the top of the fourth on a double cracked off the bat of Adam Witter to bring home Simon Klink and Carlos Sosa. The Defenders would leave the bases loaded in the fourth en route to leaving a season-high 10 men stranded.
New Hampshire would answer back in the bottom of the fifth as they plated three runs on three base hits to claim the lead for the home team, 3-2.
The Cats would add another run in the seventh as Chris Gutierrez lifted a sacrifice fly to left center field to bring home Marcos Cabral from third and extend the lead, 4-2.
After a scoreless eighth, the Defenders were staring down a two-run deficit in the ninth inning. Olmo Rosario led off with his second base hit of the ball game with a single to right, Dayton Buller rocketed a pinch-hit double and Travis Denker drew a five-pitch walk to load the bags with none out. Travis Ishikawa wasted no time as he ripped a single into right field to score Rosario and Buller to tie things up at 4-4. Unfortunately, the rally would end there as Simon Klink struck out swinging and Carlos Sosa bounced into an inning ending 4-6-3 double play.
With the game tied up, Bien Figueroa looked to the right-hander Justin Hedrick to preserve the tie. He started off the inning by giving up a lead-off walk to Cabral and Scott Campbell earned his third hit of the game to put runners on first and second with no outs. Gutierrez came up next and squared around to bunt but he pushed it a little too firm as the charging Ishikawa fielded it and threw over to third to get the lead runner. The momentum seemed to have changed momentarily until Kyle Phillips hit a belt-high fastball into the gap to score the speedy Campbell as the Fisher Cats split the four-game set with a 5-4 win.
The Defenders will travel to Portland on Monday to square off against the Sea Dogs for three games. Monday's game will begin at 6:00pm as the AT&T Real Yellow Pages will begin at 5:45pm. Your hometown team will return to Dodd Stadium on Thursday as they will welcome the Reading Phillies into town. Tickets are available at ctdefenders.com or by calling the box office at (860) 887-7962.
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Eastern League Stories from April 13, 2008
- Baysox, Aeros Postponed - Bowie Baysox
- Phillips' walk-off single lifts Fisher Cats over Defenders, 5-4 - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- 10 Walks Cost Curve In 7-3 Loss At Reading - Altoona Curve
- Trenton defeats Harrisburg 8-4 to split four-game series at Waterfront Park - Trenton Thunder
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- New Character Makes Thunder Debut - Trenton Thunder
- Aeros and Baysox Rained out Sunday - Akron RubberDucks
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- Sunday's B-Mets Game Postponed - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Speigner to DL and Schmoll Added - Harrisburg Senators
- Tillman Outstanding But Baysox Bullpen Allows Seven in Sixth for Loss - Bowie Baysox
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