Tolisano Scores Lone Run in Loss at Portland

PORTLAND, ME - John Tolisano singled and picked up his team-leading 18^th walk on Monday night, but that was just about all the offense the Fisher Cats mustered in an 8-1 loss to the Portland Sea Dogs (10-21).  The defeat leaves the Fisher Cats at 2-2 after four games on the six-game road trip.
 
Tolisano's first at-bat generated the Fisher Cats (13-17) lone run against Sea Dogs starter Chris Balcolm-Miller (W; 2-2).  With one out and the Fisher Cats trailing 2-0, Tolisano walked in the second inning, then stole second base.  He scored two batters later when Brian Van Kirk dropped a single into center field to cut the deficit 2-1.
 
That's as close as the Fisher Cats could get as the Sea Dogs pounded Fisher Cats starter Randy Boone (L; 0-1).  Reynaldo Rodriguez had a pair of two-run homers in the first and third innings.  Two runs scored in the fourth before another two-run homer knocked Boone out in the fifth.  He pitched 4.1 innings in his first New Hampshire starter since 2010, surrendering eight runs on nine hits, including three long balls.
 
Matt Wright did a nice job in relief for New Hampshire, hurling 2.2 scoreless innings.  He allowed just one walk with a season-high five strikeouts, the most for any Fisher Cats reliever this season.
 
Balcolm-Miller earned the victory for Portland giving up just one run on a pair of hits over seven innings.  He walked two and finished with three strikeouts to improve to 2-0 against New Hampshire in his career.
 
The Fisher Cats will try to even the series behind RHP Casey Lawrence (0-1, 6.39) on Tuesday night at 6 PM.  He'll be opposed by RHP Stolmy Pimentel (0-0, 5.79).  Radio coverage with Tom Gauthier begins at 5:45 PM on the WGIR Fisher Cats Radio Network and www.nhfishercats.com.
 
New Hampshire returns home on Thursday, May 10 at 6:35 PM to begin a four-game series with the Binghamton Mets (New York Mets). It will be Girls Night Out at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium with food and drink specials for the ladies.  For tickets and information, visit www.nhfishercats.com.