Late runs foil Friday Fisher Cat chances

AKRON, OH. – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (22-27) fell to the Akron RubberDucks (29-20) on Friday night at Canal Park, 8-3. Trailing 4-3 into the bottom of the eighth inning, the Fisher Cats allowed a four-run eighth inning to spoil any plans of a late comeback.

Starter Devereaux Harrison (L, 1-3) struck out a pair of batters in his four-inning start and allowed four runs on four hits. The Fisher Cats posted three runs on six hits in five innings against RubberDucks righty starter Aaron Davenport (W, 4-1).

Righty Justin Kelly, who was promoted to Double-A New Hampshire from High-A Vancouver on May 29, logged his first outing with the Fisher Cats in Friday’s game. Kelly, 25, retired Akron’s hitters in order in the bottom of the seventh on 14 pitches, 10 of them for strikes. Kelly signed as a Minor League free agent with Toronto in July 2021 and spent his first three seasons between Single-A Dunedin and Vancouver.

Akron scored first in Friday’s game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. Ducks center fielder Kahlil Watson scored Milan Tolentino on a sacrifice flyout to give Akron a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, RubberDucks right fielder Petey Halpin stole home safely in a double steal with Aaron Bracho to extend the lead to 2-0.

The Fisher Cats quickly answered in the top of the fourth. Akron’s Davenport walked Cats right fielder Devonte Brown. New Hampshire would record a hit on the next three pitches; Phil Clarke and Gabby Martinez each produced run-scoring doubles. Catcher Zach Britton continued the first-pitch trend and pushed the third run of the inning across on an RBI single, as New Hampshire took the lead at 3-2.

The New Hampshire lead wouldn’t last long; Akron’s first four batters reached to begin the bottom of the fourth. RubberDucks’ Yordys Valdes reached on a walk before Joe Lampe and Milan Tolentino singled to tie the game at 3-3. A sacrifice fly from first baseman Joe Naranjo plated Lampe from third to give Akron a 4-3 advantage.

The RubberDucks extended their lead with four runs of insurance in the bottom of the eighth inning. Akron hit a single, double and triple to push Friday’s contest out of reach and finished the inning with an 8-3 advantage.

New Hampshire and Akron continue their six-game series in Canal Park on Saturday night with a 7:05 PM EDT first pitch time. A battle of left-handers features Fisher Cats LHP Adam Macko (3-2, 3.68 ERA) opposes Akron’s Ryan Webb (1-4, 3.26 ERA).

Following a two-week road trip to Akron (May 28–June 2) and Erie (June 4–June 9), New Hampshire’s next homestand is June 11-16 against the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the San Francisco Giants’ Double-A club.