Rock Cats Rally in 13th for 6-5 Win

Published on July 25, 2011 under Eastern League (EL1)
New Britain Rock Cats News Release


NEW BRITAIN, CT - Mark Dolenc knocked in Nathan Hanson in the bottom of the 13th inning as the Rock Cats walked off with a thrilling 6-5 win over visiting New Hampshire on Monday night. The Rock Cats drew closer to the first-place Fisher Cats.

The Rock Cats entered the bottom of the inning down by two runs against former Rock Cat Bobby Korecky. Chris Parmelee lined a double into right field to lead off the inning. Top hitter Yangervis Solarte struck out before Evan Bigley doubled in Parmelee to close the gap, 5-4. Mike Hollimon followed with a single to right field but Bigley was tagged out at the plate to prevent the tie. Hanson, who entered the game as a pinch hitter, then delivered a clutch single to score Hollimon to tie the game. That set the stage for Dolenc, who lined a double into center field to score Hanson for the game-winner.

The walk-off win capped off a wild game that saw the Rock Cats pitching staff strike out a combined 18 batters and both teams combine for a total of 24 hits. Rock Cats starting pitcher Blake Martin looked like a case of Jekyll and Hyde on the mound as he struck out eight but walked five in four innings. In the opening frame, he allowed a leadoff single to Adeiny Hechavarria - who lined the first pitch of the game into right field - before striking out the side to end the inning. He threw just 12 pitches in the first.

In the second, though, Martin ran into control problems. He plunked Travis d'Arnaud with a pitch to open the inning and walked New Haven native Mark Sobolewski. Martin struck out the next batter before he issued two straight walks, including forcing in a run when Jonathan Diaz worked a free pass with the bases loaded. Sobolewski then scored on Hechavarria's sacrifice fly to right field for the 2-0 advantage.

Martin issued two more free passes in the third but strike out the final two batters he faced in the inning to escape the jam.

Henderson Alvarez - one of Toronto's top pitching prospects who was selected for the Futures Game and Eastern League All-Star Game - kept the Rock Cats scoreless through the first three innings. Solarte led off the fourth with a double to right and moved to third on a throwing error by right fielder Moises Sierra. Mike Hollimon then knocked in Solarte with a one-out single to right to put the `Cats on the board, 2-1. Mark Dolenc followed with a two-out RBI triple to plate Hollimon to tie the game.

Dolenc delivered a one-out single in the seventh inning. He then stole second and came around to score on Joe Benson's line drive single to right that put the Rock Cats on top for the first time all night. The Fisher Cats answered back in the eighth when d'Arnaud doubled to open the inning and scored on a wild pitch by Deolis Guerra to tie the game.

The Fisher Cats took the lead in the top of the 13th courtesy of a two-run homer by Anthony Gose.

Spencer Steedley struck out three in two shutout relief innings for the Rock Cats. Four Rock Cats pitchers combined to strike out 18 batters, including Tyler Robertson striking out the side in the ninth. Brett Jacobson (4-5) picked up the win despite allowing the go-ahead home run in the top of the 13th. He was the lone Rock Cats pitcher who didn't record a strikeout. Korecky (3-2) suffered the loss with three runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings.

ALLSTATE PLAYER OF THE GAME: LF Mark Dolenc went 4-for-5 with two RBI and one run scored. He fell a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. He came through with a clutch walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the 13th inning.

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Eastern League Stories from July 25, 2011


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