Homers in Hartford: Cats Take Series with Sunday Slugfest
HARTFORD, CT – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (21-30) clinched the series over the Hartford Yard Goats (25-26) at Dunkin’ Park on Sunday afternoon, 9-4. New Hampshire first baseman Peyton Williams belted his fifth home run of the season and drove in four runs. Second baseman Cade Doughty sent the
HARTFORD, CT – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (21-30) clinched the series over the Hartford Yard Goats (25-26) at Dunkin’ Park on Sunday afternoon, 9-4. New Hampshire first baseman Peyton Williams belted his fifth home run of the season and drove in four runs. Second baseman Cade Doughty sent the next pitch deep for his first of the year and snatched a leaping catch to stave off the Goats in the eighth inning.
In his fourth game batting second, second baseman Eddinson Paulino knocked a pair of doubles and walked twice, while driving in a pair of runs. The Fisher Cats worked a season-high 10 walks, including right fielder and lead-off man RJ Schreck accepting four free passes as eight out of nine New Hampshire batters reached in Sunday’s win.
Grant Rogers made his third Double-A start and second start of the week for New Hampshire. The righty starter struck out and walked a pair of batters in four innings and gave up two earned runs on two hits. Alex Amalfi (W, 2-2) relieved Rogers with a pair of one-hit frames, and the lone hit he allowed was a solo homer to Hartford catcher Bryant Betancourt. Amalfi finished with a pair of strikeouts and was credited with the win.
Paulino began Sunday’s scoring in the top of the first with his first run-scoring double to give New Hampshire a 1-0 lead. Hartford’s Juan Guerrero produced his 11th hit of the week in the bottom of the first with Braiden Ward at second to tie Sunday’s rubber match at 1-1.
The Yard Goats took their only lead of the game in the bottom of the second with a two-run home run by second baseman GJ Hill. After first baseman Zach Kokoska was plunked by a pitch from Rogers, Hill yanked a two-run blast down the right-field line to put the Goats in front, 3-1.
The Fisher Cats backed up Rogers with a pair of three-run frames in the top of the third and fifth. Three Fisher Cats produced run-scoring hits in the third inning; Paulino doubled, while third baseman Charles McAdoo and Williams singled in runs off Hartford’s starter Adams to put New Hampshire back in front, 4-3.
The Fisher Cats greeted new lefty Sam Weatherly out of the bullpen with back-to-back home runs in the top of the fifth, both with two outs. Paulino began the fifth inning with a walk and Paulino reached on a fielder’s choice, as the Goats attempted to turn a double play for the first out of the inning. After left fielder Jace Bohrofen struck out, Williams knocked a two-run homer to drive in his third run of the game and bump the Cats’ advantage to 7-3. Doughty took Weatherly deep on the next pitch for his first homer of the season and made it 8-3, New Hampshire.
Williams knocked in his fourth run of the game with a gap-shot double in the top of the seventh inning, which gave the Fisher Cats an 8-4 advantage. The lefty slugger reached in four of five plate appearances on Sunday and finished 3-for-4 with a homer, a double and four driven in.
Both squads loaded the bases in the late innings as New Hampshire reliever Conor Larkin escaped the jam in the bottom of the eighth with a strikeout to leave three Goats stranded. The Fisher Cats then filled the bases in the top of the ninth with two walks and a hit-by-pitch that grazed catcher Jacob Sharp’s helmet. Schreck worked a bases-loaded walk, his fourth of the contest, to give the Cats a five-run advantage, 9-4.
New Hampshire righty Justin Kelly closed out the series victory with a scoreless ninth, as the Cats won, 9-5.
The Fisher Cats return to Delta Dental Stadium on Tuesday, June 3 to host the Altoona Curve, Double-A affiliates of the Pittsburgh Pirates, for a six-game series. Tuesday, June 3 is 603 Night, with first pitch scheduled for 6:03 PM EDT. Waggin' Wednesday and Pride Night are on Wednesday, June 4 with a 6:35 PM EDT first pitch, and fans that show up early for Thursday's 6:35 PM EDT game can receive one of New Hampshire's exclusive koozie giveaways on Koozie Klub Thursday.
Fans can purchase 2025 multi-game memberships and single-game tickets at nhfishercats.com, via email at [email protected], 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 [email protected].