MANCHESTER, N.H. – Two big swings by the New Hampshire Fisher Cats- including one from an unlikely suspect – proved to be the difference in Trenton’s 5-4 loss Saturday night.
After clawing back from an early 4-1 deficit, the Thunder tied the game in the top of the eighth inning, 4-4. However, with two outs and a full count, Kyle Haynes allowed a solo home run to Emilio Guererro to put the Fisher Cats ahead for good in the bottom half of the inning. The homer was Guererro’s first in Double-A, and was just the third homer allowed by Haynes in his professional career, spanning 195.2 IP. Haynes collected the loss with the run in the eighth inning, with his record at 0-2, but his ERA is still just 2.25 on the season.
The Fisher Cats jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the 1st after Gary Sanchez had delivered a two-out RBI single to plate Mason Williams for a 1-0 Thunder lead. In the bottom of the first inning runners were at second and third base with one out when Matt Newman grounded out to first baseman Matt Snyder to tie the game. Thunder starting pitcher Eric Ruth then hit Jake Fox to put a pair of runners on base for K.C. Hobson. The lefty slugger launched his third homer of the season well over the wall in right field to cap a four-run frame.
Ruth, who earned a no-decision, settled down after that first inning and scattered just four hits over his final five shutout innings to exit with four earned runs over 6.0 IP on 81 pitches (55 strikes).
Trailing early in the ballgame, it was Eric Jagielo who was the key contributor in Saturday’s comeback effort. The Thunder DH finished 3-for-3 with a pair of hit-by-pitches to reach in all five of his plate appearances. It was also his Eastern League-leading 6th home run in the top of the 8th inning that brought the team back to within a run of New Hampshire.
Trenton now drops to 5-10 on the road and have dropped 10 of the team’s last 12 road games. Additionally, the Thunder continue a trend in which one large inning hurts the pitching staff. In the team’s last 13 losses, an opponent has had an inning with 3+ runs in 12 of them.
The Thunder and New Hampshire Fisher Cats get back to action Sunday with a 1:35 p.m. scheduled first pitch Mother’s Day matinee. Coverage begins at 1:20 p.m. on 91.3 FM WTSR and online at www.trentonthunder.com.
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