Rock Cats Break Out Bats In 6-3 Win

April 9, 2012 - Eastern League (EL1)
New Britain Rock Cats News Release


NEW BRITAIN, CT - New Britain's Alex Wimmers made his Double-A debut and Aaron Hicks crushed his first career Double-A home run as the Rock Cats defeated Harrisburg, 6-3 in the series opener on Monday night.

Wimmers struck out the first batter he faced - Harrisburg leadoff man Eury Perez - before he served up a double to Jeff Kobernus. Jesus Valdez followed with a line drive single into right field. Kobernus tried to score on the hit, but right fielder Evan Bigley fired a strike to catcher Chris Herrmann who reached to his right to nab the ball before diving back toward the plate to nail Kobernus for the second out of the inning. Wimmers forced a groundout to end the inning unharmed.

Harrisburg's Josh Johnson led off the third with a shot over the right field wall to put the Senators on top, 1-0.

The Rock Cats (4-1) answered back in the bottom of the inning. James Beresford led off with a base hit to right and Darin Mastroianni dropped a bunt single down the third baseline. Herrmann drew a wlak to load the bases before Evan Bigley delivered a sacrifice fly to center to knock in Beresford to tie the game. With two outs and Hicks at the plate, Mastroianni stole second before Hicks launched a three-run shot over the right field wall to put the `Cats on top, 4-1. It was only the second hit of the year for Hicks and his first homer in the Eastern League.

Wimmers ran into trouble in the fifth. Johnson opened the inning with a bunt single and Perez and Kobernus followed with singles to load the bases with no outs. Valdez grounded a ball back to Wimmers, who forced Johnson out at home. Manager Jeff Smith opted to make the call to the bullpen, turning to Deolis Guerra.

Harrisburg's Tim Pahuta greeted Guerra with a single that dropped into right field to score Perez to cut the lead in half, 4-2.

The Rock Cats retaliated in the bottom of the inning once again. Evan Bigley doubled with one out and scored on Hicks' single into center. Hicks later scored on Pedro Florimon's line drive single into left.

The 23-year-old Wimmers, who was selected by Minnesota in the first round of the 2010 Draft, limited the Senators to two runs on six hits after throwing 83 pitches in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out three. Guerra (1-0) picked up the win with 2 2/3 shutout innings in relief.

The Rock Cats pounded out 13 hits on the night, led by a three-hit performance by Deibinson Romero.

Senators' starter Mike Ballard (0-1) was hammered for six runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings.

ALLSTATE PLAYER OF THE GAME: CF Aaron Hicks went 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. Hicks hit his first career Double-A homer - a three-run shot in the third inning - and added an RBI single in the fifth.



Eastern League Stories from April 9, 2012


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