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EL1 New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Gorneault hits 10th HR, adds 3 RBIs in 5-2 win

September 1, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
New Hampshire Fisher Cats News Release


Norwich, CT- Nick Gorneault went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a two-run double and an amazing ninth-inning catch, helping Andrew Liebel win his Eastern League debut in the New Hampshire Fisher Cats' 5-2 victory over the Connecticut Defenders on Tuesday night at Dodd Stadium. The Fisher Cats have won five of their last six games to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

The Fisher Cats (63-73) broke open a 2-2 tie in the top of the eighth inning against reliever Dan Griffin. After Bryan Kervin (1-for-4, R) led off with a single, Todd Donovan (1-for-3, SF, BB, RBI, R) walked, Darin Mastroianni (1-for-3, SAC) sacrificed the runners and Gorneault (2-for-3, HR, 2B, HBP, 3 RBI) doubled to left, scoring both runners for a 4-2 lead. Al Quintana (2-for-4, RBI) made it 5-2 with a single off Griffin (8-7), who allowed three runs on four hits in one inning to take the loss. The right-hander fell to 0-3 with a 15.43 ERA (9.1 IP-16 ER) against New Hampshire this season and spoiled an impressive outing by Madison Bumgarner, who yielded two runs on four hits in seven innings with a walk and a strikeout.

Liebel (1-0), who was promoted from Advanced-A Dunedin of the Florida State League earlier in the day, was even better. The righty surrendered two runs on five hits in eight commanding innings, notching five strikeouts in the victory.

Danny Farquhar worked the ninth for his 14th save, getting a double play to end the game when Brett Pill hit a deep drive to left that appeared destined to leave the park until Gorneault leaped, reached over the fence and hauled it in. Brad Boyer (0-for-3, BB), who had walked, was doubled off first to end it. Farquhar moves into a tie for fifth place (Jordan DeJong-2004) on the Fisher Cats' all-time single-season saves list.

Gorneault staked the Fisher Cats to a 1-0 lead with two outs in the top of the first when he drilled Bumgarner's first pitch over the left field fence for his 10th home run.

Connecticut (79-56) tied the game, 1-1, in the home half of the fourth when Mike McBryde (2-for-4, 2B, R) doubled, moved to third on a ground out and scored on a grounder by Pill.

Connecticut threatened to go ahead in the fifth by putting runners on second and third with one out, but Mastroianni caught Sharlon Schoop's fly to shallow center and threw out Brandon Crawford (1-for-3) attempting to tag and score for an 8-2 double play.

The Fisher Cats reclaimed the advantage in the top of the sixth when Jonathan Diaz (2-for-4, 2 2B, R) lined a lead-off double off Bumgarner, took third on a ground out and scored on Donovan's sac fly for a 2-1 lead.

Pill (1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI) slammed his 16th homer of the year, taking a 2-0 pitch from Leibel over the left field wall in the bottom of the seventh, tying the score, 2-2, and adding to his franchise-record and league-leading RBI total (102).

New Hampshire and Connecticut go head-to-head in the middle game of the three-game series on Wednesday night at 6:35pm. The Fisher Cats send right-hander Kenny Rodriguez (4-3, 3.86) to the mound against Defenders' right-hander Garrett Broshuis (4-4, 4.59). Radio coverage gets underway at 6:15pm with the BayRing Pre-Game Show on the WGIR Fisher Cats Radio Network with Mike Murphy.

Fisher Cats 2010 Season Tickets are on sale now by calling (603) 641-2005 or visiting www.nhfishercats.com.

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