HARRISBURG, PA  [May 10, 2018] - Despite a three-run rally in the ninth to tie the game, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays) lost 9-8 in ten innings to the Harrisburg Senators (Nationals) Thursday night at FNB Field.

Trailing 6-0 after two innings, New Hampshire scored five unanswered runs between the third and the fifth. In the third, Gunnar Heidt's one out triple started things for the 'Cats and Jonathan Davis followed with an RBI single. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. came up two batters later and singled to centerfield, scoring Davis and extending his hitting streak to a team-best 15 consecutive games.

A three-run fifth cut the Harrisburg lead to one. The 'Cats used four hits - capped by a two-out, two RBI single from Andrew Guillotte - to plate a trio of runs and make it 6-5.

After the Senators scored single runs in the fifth and sixth to go up 8-5, the Fisher Cats rallied for three in the ninth to tie the game 8-8. Back-to-back doubles from Vlad Jr. and Harold Ramirez plated the first run of the frame but Harrisburg seemed destined to stymie the rally after recording consecutive outs over the next two at-bats. Up stepped pinch hitter Cavan Biggio, who ripped the first pitch he saw over the 400-foot marker in dead centerfield to tie the game 8-8.

In the bottom of the tenth with the "designated runner" at second base, a deep fly ball out moved said runner to third base. After an intentional walk, a mishandled grounder off the bat of Stephen Perez allowed the winning run to score and gave the Senators a 6-5 walk-off win.

Vlad Jr. finished the game three for five with two runs scored and an RBI. He leads the league with 36 runs batted in. Ramirez and Heidt notched their first three-hit performance of the season as well.

Davis, Juan Kelly and Guillotte each had two hits in the game. Nick Tepesch worked three innings of long relief, allowing one run on two hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

With the loss, New Hampshire has dropped three consecutive games for the first time in 2018.

The series continues tomorrow night at FNB Field.

►  MORE 2018 Fisher Cats Coverage.


Posted 5/10/18