MANCHESTER, NH- A five-run eighth inning for the Portland Sea Dogs secured a 12-6 victory over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in the first game of the six-game series at Delta Dental Stadium on Tuesday night. The Sea Dogs improve to 8-5 on the season and remain tied for first place in the Northeast Division, while the Fisher Cats fall to 5-8.
Triston Casas extended his hitting streak to seven games with a single in the eighth inning. During the streak, he is batting .433 (13-for-30) with one double, three home runs, and 10 RBI.
Despite allowing the first four batters he faced to get on base, Josh Winckowski settled in nicely after the first inning. He allowed two runs on two hits, but then went on to retire seven in a row with three strikeouts. Winckowski tossed 5.0 innings, allowed two runs on four hits while walking two and striking out five. Durbin Feltman (1-0) got the win in relief.
Trailing 2-0 in the top of the fourth inning, Johan Mieses drew a lead-off walk then moved to third on a double to left field by Joey Meneses. Roldani Baldwin then dunked a single to left field, allowing Mieses to score. Meneses then scored on a fielding error and the game was tied 2-2. The Sea Dogs took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth inning after Baldwin drew a bases loaded walk.
In the top of the sixth inning, Pedro Castellanos recorded his third hit of the ballgame with an RBI single to left field. With Castellanos at first and Jeisson Rosario at third, they successfully executed a double steal, and extended Portland’s lead to 5-2. After Mieses drew a lead-off walk in the top of the seventh inning, Jhonny Pereda then drove an RBI triple to centerfield and the Sea Dogs made it a four run lead.
A four-run bottom of the seventh inning for the Fisher Cats was highlighted by a three-run home run by Gabriel Moreno to tie the game 6-6.
The Sea Dogs offense then exploded in the top of the eighth inning. With two outs, Casas and Mieses recorded back-to-back singles. Meneses then hit a moon-shot to left field and Portland was back on top 9-6. After Baldwin drew a walk, Ryan Fitzgerald hit his first Double-A home run, a two-run shot, making it 11-6. Portland plated their final run of the game in the top of the ninth inning off a fielding error by New Hampshire’s second baseman, and Castellanos came home to double up the Fisher Cats.
Portland and New Hampshire meet again Wednesday night at Delta Dental Stadium. LHP Enmanuel De Jesus (1-0, 5.40 ERA) will make his first start of the 2021 season for the ‘Dogs, while the ‘Cats will send RHP Kyle Johnston (0-0, 3.38 ERA) to the mound in the 6:35 pm start.
