EL1 New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Schimpf Smokes RBI Double, Scores Run

Published on August 5, 2015 under Eastern League (EL1)
New Hampshire Fisher Cats News Release


RICHMOND, VA - The New Hampshire Fisher Cats put up a strong but surrendered another walkoff loss, falling 3-2 to the Richmond Flying Squirrels Wednesday night at The Diamond in Richmond.

New Hampshire (55-52) took one-run leads twice in the game but lost them both times, squandering their chances to earn the victory. The Flying Squirrels (57-52) won their third straight, with Jose Casilla and Braulio Lara (W, 1-0) combining for 3.1 scoreless frames of relief. New Hampshire is still winless in five games against Richmond this season.

The Fisher Cats cracked the scoreboard early on against Richmond starter Matt Gage. With two outs, Kevin Nolan slashed a double up the left-field line to put himself in scoring position for Ryan Schimpf. The Fisher Cats' designated hitter didn't disappoint, lacing his own two-bagger up the right-field line to plate Nolan and make it 1-0 in favor of the Fisher Cats. The run snapped an 18-inning scoreless streak for New Hampshire.

The Flying Squirrels evened things up in the bottom of the second against New Hampshire hurler Austin Bibens-Dirkx. Right fielder Hunter Cole squared up a first-pitch fastball and sent it screaming over the left field fence for a solo homer. The round-tripper squared the game at 1-1.

New Hampshire retook the lead in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Schimpf drew a walk from Gage, and Emilio Guerrero singled him to second. Gage gave way to Jose Casilla, who surrendered an RBI single by Derrick Chung to score Schimpf and give New Hampshire the 2-1 advantage.

Richmond wasted no time evening the score in the bottom of the sixth. Cole cracked a one-out double, chasing Bibens-Dirkx from the game. John Anderson replaced the righty, and promptly gave up an RBI single to Ricky Oropesa to tie the game at 2-2.

In the ninth inning, Richmond got the breakthrough they needed against Fisher Cats reliever Blake McFarland (L, 2-2). With one out, Juan Ciriaco and Eliezer Zambrano cracked back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. Engel Beltre was intentionally walked, loading the bases for Rando Moreno. Moreno then lifted one over the head of Matt Newman for a walkoff hit, scoring Ciriaco to give the final 3-2 margin.

Bibens-Dirkx took a no-decision, surrendering two runs on four hits and a walk over 5.1 innings and striking out five. Anderson allowed two hits and whiffed two in 1.2 frames, letting his inherited runner score. McFarland took the loss, giving up a run on four hits and a walk while whiffing two in 1.1 innings.

New Hampshire will look to avoid the sweep Thursday night. Righty Casey Lawrence gets the ball for New Hampshire against Richmond righty Edwin Quirarte. First pitch from The Diamond in Richmond is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., with Ben Gellman's pregame show starting at 6:45 p.m. on the Fisher Cats Radio Network and online at www.nhfishercats.com.

Check out the New Hampshire Fisher Cats Statistics

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Eastern League Stories from August 5, 2015


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