The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (24-43) battled past the Baysox (31-36) 4-3 in a 13-inning marathon game that lasted just over four hours Sunday afternoon.
The Baysox held the lead for the first eight innings of the game, but New Hampshire mounted a comeback to tie the game in the ninth inning and ultimately send it to extra innings.
The bullpens for each team combined to pitch eight innings, but the Baysox bullpen allowed two runs while the Fisher Cats pen had a scoreless outing.
After scoring four early runs, the Baysox offense slowed down later in the game despite a number of chances with runners on base. The team batted just 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position during the game. In the bottom of the 13th inning, the Baysox had the bases loaded with just one out, but failed to record a hit to potentially tie or win the game.
“We just didn’t get the hits with the runners on base late in the game, but we played a good ball game,” said Manager Gary Kendall. “We had some opportunities and we just didn’t get the hits. It looked like we had something going in the 13th, but it just didn’t happen.”
The Baysox struck first in the bottom of the first inning against New Hampshire starting pitcher Deck McGuire. Center fielder Antoan Richardson hit a lead off triple and second baseman Jonathan Schoop followed with a home run to left field to give the Baysox a 2-0 lead.
New Hampshire got one run back in the top of the third inning against Baysox right-handed starting pitcher Bobby Bundy. With two outs, Brad McElroy reached on a bunt single to third base and he advanced to second base on a wild pitch with Ryan Goins batting. Goins then singled to right field to plate McElroy and make the score 2-1.
Bowie extended their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Right fielder Buck Britton drew a lead off walk and scored from first base when catcher Allan de San Miguel doubled to center field to give the Baysox a 3-1 lead.
The Fisher Cats got another run back in the top of the fifth inning. John Tolisano drew a lead off walk and Sean Ochinko followed with a single to right field that moved Tolisano to second base. McElroy moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt and Tolisano scored on a ground out by Goins that made the score 3-2.
New Hampshire came back to tie the game in the top of the ninth inning against Baysox closer Greg Burke. Mark Sobolewski hit a lead off single to second base and moved to second when Gabe Jacobo singled to center field. Tolisano hit a sacrifice bunt but reached on a fielding error by Burke to load the bases. Ochinko grounded out to third base but Sobolewski scored on the play to tie the game 3-3.
The Fisher Cats took their first lead of the game in the top of the 13th inning against left-handed reliever Pedro Viola. Jacobo hit a one out single to left field and Justin Jackson replaced him at first as a pinch runner. Tolisano singled to center field to move Jackson to second base and a double steal with Ochinko batting moved both runners up. Ochinko hit a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Jackson and give New Hampshire a 4-3 lead.
Bundy pitched five innings and allowed two runs on four hits while striking out one batter and walking two in the no decision.
“I thought he had really good stuff,” Kendall said. “He kept the ball down, he changed speeds and he had his breaking ball over the plate. It’s unfortunate his pitches got up there a little bit and we could have sent him out for the sixth inning, but I wanted him to leave with a good taste in his mouth and a chance to win the ballgame and would have up until the ninth.”
Right-handed reliever Pat Egan pitched two scoreless innings and allowed just one hit. Reliever Mike Belfiore pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Baysox, allowing one hit and walking a batter. Burke pitched two innings and allowed one run on three hits while striking out one batter and walking one in the blown save. Pedro Viola pitched three innings and allowed one run on two hits while striking out four batters and walking one in the loss.
New Hampshire reliever Matt Daly pitched two and one-third shutout innings in relief to earn the win. He allowed two hits and struck out two batters while walking one.
After an off day Monday, the Baysox travel to Erie for a three game road trip before returning home Friday, June 22 for a five game home stand against the Reading Phillies.
Baysox Baseball – We’ll Knock Your ‘Sox Off. The Baysox 20th season is underway. Parking is free at every Baysox home game and tickets are now available at www.baysox.com, or by calling the Baysox box office at (301) 464-4865.
