EL1 New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Fisher Cats' bullpen combines for 5.1 scoreless innings of relief

Published on August 27, 2008 under Eastern League (EL1)
New Hampshire Fisher Cats News Release


Manchester, NH- Erik Kratz, Brian Dopirak and David Smith all blasted solo home runs, and five relief pitchers combined for 5.1 shutout innings, but the Binghamton Mets held on for a 6-3 victory over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats before a crowd of 5,847 on Wednesday night at Merchantsauto.com Stadium. The Fisher Cats need a crowd of 5,173 or greater in Thursday night's home finale to record a franchise single-season attendance record for a fifth straight season.

For the first time in his 15 career Double-A starts, Fisher Cats' starter Robert Ray allowed a first-inning run when Jose Coronado (2-for-5, 2B, R), Fernando Martinez (3-for-5, 3B, RBI) and Mike Carp (1-for-2, 2 BB, RBI, R) strung together consecutive one-out singles, with Coronado scoring on Carp's safety for a 1-0 Mets' lead.

New Hampshire (59-78) tied the game, 1-1, against Mike Antonini in the bottom of the third inning when Kratz (2-for-4, HR, RBI) snapped a personal 0-for-17 slump by blasting his seventh home run of the year, a solo blast that landed atop the roof of the Samuel Adams Bar & Grill in left field.

Binghamton (71-66) broke it open in the top of the fourth inning by scoring five runs, including a pair of unearned runs against Ray. Shawn Bowman (1-for-5, RBI, R) started the uprising with a run-scoring single, plating Carp, who had been hit by a pitch. Ambiorix Concepcion (1-for-4, 2 RBI, R), who had been mired in a 3-for-34 skid, ripped a two-run double to left field, scoring Caleb Stewart (1-for-4, BB, R), who singled, and Bowman for a 3-1 lead. Concepion scored Binghamton's fourth run on a throwing error by Chris Gutierrez that allowed Emmanuel Garcia (0-for-5, R) to reach safely. The inning was extended when Ray uncorked a wild pitch on a strikeout of Coronado, putting runners on the corners. Martinez then lined a single to right, scoring Garcia for a 6-1 advantage.

Dopirak (1-for-4, HR, RBI) and Smith (1-for-3, HR, RBI) made it interesting by delivering back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the sixth inning off Antonini to trim the Binghamton lead to 6-3.

Antonini (1-2) allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings to register his first career Double-A victory. The left-hander fanned five.

Eric Brown went 2.2 scoreless innings before Brian Rogers earned his first save by inducing a game-ending ground out from Kratz with two men on in the bottom if the ninth inning.

Ray (7-6) took the loss by yielding six runs -four earned- on eight hits in 3.2 innings, with two strikeouts and a walk.

Fisher Cats' relievers Jared Gothreaux (1.1 IP), Jo Matumoto (1.0 IP), Orlando Roman (2.0 IP), Zach Dials (0.2 IP) and Jason Burch (0.1 IP) scattered three hits over 5.1 scoreless innings.

During the seventh-inning stretch, the Citizens Bank Foundation presented a $25,000 check to the New Hampshire Food Bank as part of the "Strike Out Hunger" initiative, representing $50 per strikeout recorded by Fisher Cats' pitchers during home games this season.

The Fisher Cats play their final home game of the 2008 season on Thursday night at 7:05pm against the Mets. Right-hander Marty McLeary (0-0, 5.21) gets the honor of starting the Merchantsauto.com Stadium finale for New Hampshire when he matches up with Binghamton right-hander Tobi Stoner (4-6, 4.62) in a 7:05pm game. Radio coverage with Bob Lipman and Mike Murphy begins at 6:45pm on the WGIR Fisher Cats Radio Network.

Catch the final Atlas Fireworks Show of the season following Thursday night's game. For tickets, visit www.nhfishercats.com or call (603) 641-2005.

Check out the New Hampshire Fisher Cats Statistics

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Eastern League Stories from August 27, 2008


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