Van Eyk Ties Career Most Strikeout Total as Cats Drop Both 

BINGHAMTON, NY – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (6-10) dropped both games to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (11-6) at Mirabito Stadium on Thursday afternoon, 5-0 and 4-1. CJ Van Eyk (L, 0-3) matched his career-high in strikeouts with nine across 5 2/3 innings in game one and Alex Amalfi posted a scoreless outing in his first-career Double-A start in game two.

Second baseman Ryan McCarty’ knocked his first home run of the season to give New Hampshire their only run scored of the day.

Rumble Ponies’ right-hander Joander Suarez (W, 1-0) started game one, retired the first nine batter he faced and allowed two hits in 5 1/3 innings with no walks and five strikeouts.

The Fisher Cats were held to three hits in seven innings, and two hits belonged to left fielder Yohendrick Piñango, who extended his hit streak to six games. Third baseman Charles McAdoo owned the other Fisher Cats hit on a double off the right field wall in the top of the fourth to put McAdoo and Piñango in scoring position, but both were left stranded.

A week after right fielder Jace Bohrofen took home Eastern League Player of the Week honors, Piñango is now making his case for the award. Since last Friday, Piñango leads all qualified Eastern League batters with a .579 batting average and is slashing .583/.864/1.447, with 19 total bases.

Binghamton put a runner on third in the bottom of the first inning after center fielder Nick Morabito led off with a single before he stole second and third base. Van Eyk stranded Morabito with three consecutive looking strikeouts. Van Eyk retired eight Rumble Ponies in a row before Morabito and first baseman Ryan Clifford belted back-to-back solo homers in the bottom of the third to take a 2-0 lead.

The Rumble Ponies plated one more run in the bottom of the fifth before catcher Kevin Parada hit a two-run homer to finalize the scoring at 5-0.

In game two, New Hampshire acted as the home team at Mirabito Stadium to make up for the teams’ postponed game at Delta Dental Stadium from April 5.

Right-hander Alex Amalfi made his first career Double-A start and pitched a scoreless 2-2/3 frames with three strikeouts before he was taken out for Conor Larkin. With two outs in the top of the third inning, Larkin walked the first two batters he faced, and Binghamton capitalized with an RBI single from third baseman William Lugo and then a three-run homer from catcher Matt O’Neill to take a 4-0 advantage.

Binghamton lefty Felipe De La Cruz posted 4-1/3 two-hit, one-run innings with seven punchouts to take the win. Right-handers Luis Moreno and Douglas Orellana combined for a scoreless 2-2/3 innings in relief which secured the Rumble Ponies’ eight-straight win.

After Binghamton’s four-run top of the third, Fisher Cats’ right-hander Ryan Boyer dealt three scoreless innings, allowing two hits, one walk and he struck out three to hold the Rumble Ponies at four runs. however, New Hampshire put one runner on base after the McCarty homer and lost game two, 4-1.

The Fisher Cats and Rumble Ponies play their last 6:07 PM EDT game on Friday night, before a pair of 1:05 PM EDT start times on the weekend. RHP Rafael Sanchez (0-0, 1.80 ERA) gets the ball for the Fisher Cats while Binghamton’s Nolan McLean (2-0, 0.60 ERA) will start for the Ponies.

Fans can purchase 2025 multi-game memberships and single-game tickets at nhfishercats.com, via email at info@nhfishercats.com, by phone at (603) 641-2005, and in-person at the Delta Dental Stadium box office on 1 Line Drive in Manchester.

About the New Hampshire Fisher Cats

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays and play their games at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester. Over 160 former Fisher Cats have reached the Major League level. The Fisher Cats have raised millions of dollars for various charities through the Fisher Cats Foundation and continuously strive to improve the quality of life for Granite State residents. The organization has been recognized as New Hampshire Business Review’s “Best Sporting Event to Take Clients to”, Parenting New Hampshire Magazine’s “New Hampshire’s Favorite Sporting Event for Families”, and New Hampshire Magazine’s “Best New Hampshire Sports Team”. For more information on the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, please visit nhfishercats.com, call (603) 641-2005, or contact Chris Jared via email at cjared@nhfishercats.com.