Murphy's Walk off Home Run Wins Game in 10th Inning; Cats' Top Senators 8-7

Published on May 5, 2015 under Eastern League (EL1)
New Britain Rock Cats News Release


New Britain, CT - The New Britain Rock Cats defeated the Harrisburg Senators by the score of 8-7 in ten innings on Tuesday evening at New Britain Stadium.

C Tom Murphy powered the Rock Cats offense all night long - going 4-5 with six RBIs - but no hit was bigger than his two-run home run in the bottom of the tenth that ripped victory away from visiting Harrisburg. The long ball was his second of the night and his fifth of the season.

Three consecutive doubles off of Harrisburg starter LHP Richard Bleier gave the Cats' an early 2-0 advantage. SS Trevor Story, RF Tyler Massey and C Tom Murphy all got into action early, spraying the ball around LF Derrick Robinson, and it was Story and Massey who chugged around the bases to score.

New Britain's lead would be short-lived however as back-to-back RBI singles from 1B Shawn Pleffner and C Brian Jeroloman knotted the game 2-2 after two innings of play. Rock Cats starter RHP Matt Flemer allowed a one-out single and then hit 2B Wilmer Difo with a pitch to put runners at first and second and it was Difo and SS Rick Hague who crossed the plate on the base hits.

Story, who was named the Eastern League Player of the Month for April earlier in the afternoon, scored his second run of the game in the bottom of the third to put the home club up 3-2. The shortstop drew a one-out walk and then took both second and third on a throwing error from Bleier during a pickoff attempt, ultimately coming home on an infield single by Murphy.

The Senators responded with the tying run in the top of the fifth after CF Brian Goodwin singled home Robinson but it was countered by a three-run frame from the home team.

Flemer led off the inning with a single and later scored on a fielder's choice grounder by Story. Trevor was then moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt from Massey and then it was Murphy who launched a long home run, putting New Britain up 6-3.

In see-saw fashion, Harrisburg collected three runs of their own in the top of the sixth, tying the game once again. Four consecutive hits - two doubles and two singles - provided the spark for the Senators offense and was enough to knock Flemer out of the ballgame. C Brian Jeroloman picked up his third hit of the evening, tied with Goodwin for the team-high.

Difo led off the tenth inning with a triple off of RHP Gus Schlosser that bounced around the Rock Cats bullpen in right field and then scored on a sacrifice bunt by Jeroloman to take the 7-6 lead.

After Story led off the tenth with a single, his second hit of the night, and Massey flew out to left, Murphy came up with the opportunity to end the game with one swing and he did just that. The powerful catcher sent RHP Gilberto Mendez's offering over the wall in left field and completed the comeback.

Flemer scattered nine hits over five innings, allowing six runs, all earned, while walking one and striking out none. New Britain's bullpen worked 3 1/3 scoreless innings before the Senators broke through in extra frames, it would be Schlosser's victory however thanks to Murphy's heroics. The righthander moves to 5-2.

Mendez is hit with the loss, falling to 2-2 in 2015.

New Britain and Harrisburg play the final game of the series on Wednesday - a 10:35 a.m. contest. LHP Ryan Carpenter gets the start for the Rock Cats and squares off against Senators RHP Joe Ross.

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Eastern League Stories from May 5, 2015


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