Boyd Baffles, Bats Blister as Fisher Cats Romp 10-0

TRENTON, NJ - The New Hampshire Fisher Cats rode a superb no-hit outing from starter Matt Boyd and a huge eighth inning to a 10-0 road victory over the Trenton Thunder Monday night at Arm & Hammer Park.

The Fisher Cats (6-6) scored their first road win of the season, exploding for seven runs in the eighth inning and tacking on three more in the next frame. The Thunder (6-5) surrendered their first out-of-the-park homer of the season, and wasted 5.1 shutout innings from their starter, Brady Lail.

Boyd dazzled the Thunder through five innings of action, allowing just three walks and fanning six. His 24 strikeouts on the season are tops among minor league hurlers. He gave way to Luis Perez, who stymied the Thunder until Dustin Antolin (W, 1-0) relieved him with a runner on second in the bottom of the seventh. Antolin got out of the jam, and finished the game for the Fisher Cats.

Neither team was able to score until the eighth inning, when New Hampshire broke through against Trenton reliever Caleb Cotham (L, 0-1). Jon Berti led off with a double and came home on a single by Dwight Smith, Jr. After a one-out walk by K.C. Hobson, Jake Fox singled Smith home. Ryan Schimpf cracked a double to score Hobson, and Kevin Nolan singled Fox home, chasing Cotham and bringing Andury Acevedo in to face Matt Newman. The Fisher Cats center fielder crushed a three-run homer over the right field fence, making it 7-0 in favor of New Hampshire.

The Fisher Cats poured on the offense again in the top of the ninth. With Hobson and Fox aboard, Nolan smoked a double into the left-field gap to plate both runners, and Newman followed with an RBI single to make it a solid 10-0.

New Hampshire will look for another win Tuesday night against the Thunder. First pitch from Arm and Hammer Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m., with Fisher Cats RHP Taylor Cole getting the ball against Trenton lefty Miguel Sulbaran. Radio coverage begins at 6:40 p.m. with Ben Gellman on the WGIR Fisher Cats Radio Network and at www.nhfishercats.com.
 
The Fisher Cats return home for a seven-game stand on Thursday, April 23. The stand begins with a Thursday Night Rock 101 DJ and Atlas Fireworks. Curious George and The Man in the Yellow Hat will visit Northeast Dental Dental Stadium during the homestand from April 24-26. To purchase tickets and to view the entire promotional schedule, visit www.nhfishercats.com.