Fisher Cats Outlast Sea Dogs 6-4 in 10 Innings

Portland, Maine- The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (41-49) took advantage of a costly Sea Dogs (32-58) error in the 10th inning and took the series opener 6-4 on a game that started Thursday night and ended Friday morning.
 
The game was delayed in the bottom of the ninth inning for 99 minutes and resumed at 11:45 PM.
 
Roemon Fields laid down a sacrifice bunt and Danny Bethea threw the ball into foul territory to allow Christian Lopes to score from first base and plate the go-ahead run in the 10th inning. Jason Leblebijian added a sac fly to pad the lead at 6-4.
 
New Hampshire took an early lead on a two-out, solo homer by Jason Leblebijian off of Mitch Atkins. Rowdy Tellez followed with a single and stole second base before being driven in by Dwight Smith Jr. to make it 2-0 'Cats.
 
Tim Roberson hit a solo homer in the fourth off of Taylor Cole to cut the deficit in half and make it a 2-1 ballgame, but New Hampshire responded in the top of the fifth on an RBI double by Christian Lopes. Three batters later Rowdy Tellez doubled into the gap in right center to score Lopes and extend the lead to 4-1.
 
Cody Decker made it a one-run game with a two-run homer to right center field off of Brady Dragmire in the sixth inning.
 
Cole (W, 2-2) allowed just the one run on five hits in five innings, walking one and striking out three. Atkins (L, 2-5) went 5.1 innings and allowed four runs on seven hits with no walks and six strikeouts.
 
The Sea Dogs threatened in the seventh and loaded the bases with one out off of Tim Mayza. But Wil Browning entered the game and struck out Cody Decker, then induced a groundout from Tim Roberson.
 
Portland tied it in the ninth on an RBI groundout by Andrew Benintendi, but stranded two runners on base.
 
The Sea Dogs and Fisher Cats meet again tomorrow night at Hadlock Field, first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM. RHP Kevin McAvoy (5-4, 7.81) makes the start for Portland against RHP Connor Greene (1-1, 8.68) of New Hampshire. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling 879-9500 or online at seadogs.com