Alvarez Leads Thunder Over New Hampshire

By Spenser Smith

July 2, 2018

Mandy Alvarez hit two home runs and drove in a career-high six runs Monday night for the Thunder, who escaped late trouble in an 8-6 win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at ARM & HAMMER Park.
With the score tied at 2-2, Jeff Hendrix drew a one-out walk from Fisher Cats (47-34) reliever Dusty Isaacs to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning, and Alvarez followed with a fly ball to the gap in left-center field. New Hampshire left fielder Eduard Pinto and center fielder Jonathan Davis collided on the play, neither making the catch, allowing Hendrix and Alvarez to circle the bases on an inside-the-park home run. Davis left the game following the play, suffering an apparent injury on the collision as the Thunder (47-35) took a 4-2 lead.
In the seventh, Trenton loaded the bases on two fielding errors and an infield single by Trey Amburgey. With two out, Alvarez homered just over the wall in left-center for a grand slam, extending the Thunder lead to 8-2.
The game was Alvarez' first career-multi homer game, and the third baseman's six RBI were a career-high, as well as the most by a Thunder player this season. Additionally, the six RBI were just one shy of a franchise record, last achieved by Brandon Laird on May 16, 2010.
Left-hander James Reeves issued two walks to open the ninth inning, and after a strikeout, gave up an RBI-single to Connor Panas. Two batters later, Juan Kelly hit a three-run homer to left to bring New Hampshire within two. Reeves then walked Gunnar Heidt to bring the tying run to the plate, but David Sosebee entered and struck out Bo Bichette on three pitches to seal the win and the series victory.
The Thunder had held a lead in the game's early innings. After Domingo Acevedo yielded a first-inning RBI-fielder's choice grounder, Abiatal Avelino tied the score on a solo home run to left in the bottom half, then gave Trenton a 2-1 lead in the third with an RBI-single off Fisher Cats starter Thomas Pannone. The lead lasted just a half-inning, however, as an RBI-single by Jon Berti tied the score again in the top of the fourth.
Acevedo lasted five innings for the Thunder, and Eastern League all-star left-hander Caleb Frare followed him with two and one-third innings of scoreless relief.
Your Thunder conclude their homestand on Tuesday night at 7pm against the Fisher Cats. RHP Brian Keller (6-5, 4.14) will start for the Thunder, and RHP Josh DeGraaf (2-4, 6.39) will go for New Hampshire. The evening will be a Super Value Tuesday, and will feature a postgame fireworks show. Tickets are available by phone at 609-394-3300 or online at TrentonThunder.com.
--THUNDER--
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Contact Information
Jon Mozes, Broadcast and Public Relations Manager:
609-394-3300 x109
[email protected]
Spenser Smith, Broadcast and Media Relations Assistant:
609-394-3300 x129
[email protected]