Cooper's 9th inning HR lifts Fisher Cats over Baysox, 5-4
August 12, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
New Hampshire Fisher Cats News Release
Bowie, MD- David Cooper stroked a two-out, two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to give the New Hampshire Fisher Cats a dramatic, come-from-behind 5-4 triumph over the Bowie Baysox on Wednesday night at Prince George's Stadium. The Fisher Cats won for the first time all season when trailing after eight innings, improving to 1-46 in that scenario.
New Hampshire (52-64) coughed up a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth when Josh Bell ripped a two-run double off Matt Hensley, but Bell was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a triple. Hensley (1-0) retired the next two batters he faced to record his first Fisher Cats' win, despite giving up two runs on one hit and one hit batter in one inning.
In the top of the ninth, Jim Hoey retired the first two men he faced before Brad Emaus (1-for-5, R) extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a single to left. Cooper (3-for-5, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R) then belted a two-run shot, his seventh, over the right field fence and just out of the reach of leaping right fielder Ambiorix Concepcion to put the Fisher Cats on top, 5-4.
Leon Boyd worked around a pair of ninth-inning singles to notch his sixth save, and first since May 3.
Hoey (2-4) allowed two runs on two hits in one inning to blow his first save opportunity of the season for Bowie (61-55).
The Fisher Cats quickly erased memories of Brandon Erbe's eight no-hit innings against them last Thursday when they struck for two runs on two hits -back-to-back, two-out RBI doubles from Cooper and Adam Calderone (1-for-4, 2B, RBI, HBP)- to gain a 2-0 advantage in the top of the first.
The Baysox responded emphatically with back-to-back solo home runs from Bell (3-for-4, HR, 2B, 3 RBI), his second, and Eric Crozier (1-for-3, HR, BB), his seventh, with two outs in the bottom of the first against Adrian Martin, tying the game 2-2. It was the first time New Hampshire allowed back-to-back homers since June 12, 2008, in Akron.
The Fisher Cats reclaimed the lead against reliever Zach Clark in the top of the fifth when Cooper singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on Adam Calderone's ground out and scored when Darin Mastroianni (1-for-2, RBI, 2 BB, SB) singled up the middle to make it 3-2.
Martin bounced back from the two first-inning home runs to shut down Bowie, recording a season-high six strikeouts over a season-high matching six frames, scattering six hits and walking one.
The Fisher Cats conclude their three-game series with the Baysox on Thursday night at 7:05pm, with the pitching match-up featuring New Hampshire left-hander Luis Perez (7-10, 3.85) squaring off against Bowie right-hander Tim Bascom (2-5, 3.48) at Prince George's Stadium. Radio coverage begins with the BayRing Pre-Game Show at 6:45pm on the WGIR Fisher Cats Radio Network with Mike Murphy.
The Fisher Cats open a three-game series at Merchantsauto.com Stadium against the Connecticut Defenders on Tuesday, August 18, at 7:05pm. The first 1,000 kids in attendance will receive a Free Fisher Cats Backpack, courtesy of U.S. Cellular, and it will be Halloween Night, in conjunction with Fright Kingdom. The night will include trick-or-treating and a costume contest for the fans. For tickets, visit www.nhfishercats.com or call (603) 641-2005.
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