Jacobo Homers, but Fishers Fall Hard

MANCHESTER, N.H. - Gabe Jacobo provided one of the few highlights for the Fisher Cats (52-53) on Saturday night, lofting his third homer of the season over the right field wall in the second inning. The Altoona Curve (49-56) had a monopoly on the rest of the action in a 9-2 rout at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium. The loss is the fifth straight for the Fisher Cats, leaving them in a third place tie with the Portland Sea Dogs in the Eastern Division.

The Curve wasted no time jumping ahead of the Fisher Cats using a two-out rally in the first inning against starter Ryan Tepera (L; 8-7). Five straight hits plated three runs, highlighted by a Jarek Cunningham two-run single to give the Curve a 3-0 lead after a half-inning.

Jacobo pulled the Fisher Cats within two runs in the second with his home run, cutting the deficit to 3-1. But Altoona put it away from there, getting a single run back in the third and five two-out runs in the top of the fourth.

Tepera took the loss allowing nine runs (all earned) on 12 hits, both career highs. He walked three and struck out two in the defeat. The Fisher Cats bullpen tossed 5.1 scoreless innings, but the offense managed only a bases-loaded walk by Ryan Schimpf the rest of the way.

The series and homestand come to an end on Sunday afternoon at 1:35 p.m. The first 1,000 kids will receive a free mini-bat courtesy of Northeast Delta Dental. After the game all kids can run the bases presented by the Buyers Beware Program. Tickets are available at www.nhfishercats.com, at the Fisher Cats ticket office, and by calling (603) 641-2005.

The pitching match-up for the finale features Deck McGuire (5-8, 5.43) against Altoona righy Casey Sadler (7-5, 3.38). Live coverage with Chris Shuker begins at 1:15pm on the WGIR Fisher Cats Radio Network and online at www.nhfishercats.com.