Rock Cats Sweep Doubleheader

Published on July 16, 2012 under Eastern League (EL1)
New Britain Rock Cats News Release


NEW BRITAIN, CT - There may have been barks heard throughout New Britain Stadium during the Rock Cats' annual Bark in the Park Night but it was a battle of the `Cats on the field. New Britain won in dramatic fashion in the opener before Steve Hirschfeld hurled a seven-inning complete game shutout in the nightcap as the Rock Cats swept Monday's doubleheader from New Hampshire.

New Britain's Oswaldo Arcia proved to be the top cat as he slammed a three-run walk-off home run in extra innings to defeat the Fisher Cats, 8-5 in the opening game.

In the bottom of the ninth of a regularly scheduled seven-inning game, Aaron Hicks delivered a two-out line drive single to center and then stole his team-best 20th base. Chris Herrmann drew a walk before Arcia crushed a shot over the right field wall to give the Rock Cats the dramatic win.

It was the Fisher Cats who struck first with a run in the first inning off Logan Darnell. Ryan Goins singled with one out and Sobolewski followed with a double to put Goins 90-feet from home plate. Mike McDade then hit a fly ball that was caught by Hicks in center field. Goins scored on the sacrifice fly but Sobolewski was thrown out at third base to end the inning.

In the bottom of the frame, the Rock Cats answered back against Fernando Hernandez. Hicks led off with a double and scored on a base hit by Herrmann. Arcia followed with a single into center. Chris Colabello's fly out to center moved Herrmann to third. That brought Joe Benson to the plate. Benson laced a double into right field to knock in Herrmann for the 2-1 lead. Romero added an RBI sacrifice fly that scored Arcia.

It was New Hamsphire's turn to do damage in the third inning. Jake Marisnick delivered an RBI single and McDade added an RBI double as part of a three-run inning that tied the game, 4-4.

Benson, who was just called back up from Single-A Ft. Myers after missing time due to an injury, relied on pure hustle to help the Rock Cats score the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth. Benson looked to ground into a third out with a ball hit to third baseman Mark Sobolewski. Benson hustled down the first baseline to beat out the throw, though, and keep the inning alive. A passed ball allowed Benson to move into scoring position before Deibinson Romero singled to left to knock in Benson for the go-ahead run.

Marisnick homered to lead off the seventh inning to send the game to extra innings.

Darnell finished with four runs - two earned - on 10 hits in five innings. Dakota Watts (2-0) picked up the win for the Rock Cats, with one run on three hits in two innings out of the bullpen.

Danny Barnes (0-1) suffered the loss for the Fisher Cats.

In the nightcap, the Rock Cats received a stellar performance by Hirschfeld (6-4), who was making his first start since returning from Triple-A Rochester. Hirschfeld scattered six hits in seven shutout innings. He struck out six.

"Any time you can get a shutout like that, it's tough to pitch in game two, hats off to Hirsch," said Rock Cats manager Jeff Smith. "He pitched a heck of a game out there."

Colabello gave the Rock Cats an early lead with an RBI single that scored Herrmann in the first inning. New Britain tacked on another run in the third, courtesy of the hot-hitting Arcia. Hicks opened the inning with a double and scored when Arcia singled to left field.

Arcia added an RBI double in the fifth inning.

Chris Jakubauskas (0-2) suffered the loss with three runs (2 ER) on five hits in four innings.

ALLSTATE PLAYER OF THE GAME : (Game 1) RF Oswaldo Arcia went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. He delivered the biggest hit of them all on the night with a three-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth.

(Game 2) RHP Steve Hirshfeld fired a seven-inning complete game shutout, limiting the Fisher Cats to six hits and striking out six.

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Eastern League Stories from July 16, 2012


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