Excellent pitching elevates Fisher Cats to even series

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BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, pitched excellently and received just enough offense in a 3-1 win over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies on Wednesday night at Mirabito Stadium.

Starting right-hander Chad Dallas (4-1) made his 11th Double-A start for New Hampshire and his second against Binghamton this season. The 23-year-old matched his career-high with seven innings pitched, allowing just one run on six hits and one walk while striking out five, receiving the win. Dallas threw seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts last time out against Binghamton on May 19 at Delta Dental Stadium in his Double-A debut.

New Hampshire (9-17, 44-50) scored all three of its runs in the fourth inning, despite being outhit by Binghamton (13-15, 48-49) eight to five.

With runners on first and second, Will Robertson snapped the Fisher Cats 20-inning scoreless streak with an RBI double off the right-field wall to bring home Phil Clarke. Robertson is second on the active roster in RBI with 39 on the season. Clarke led the team with a pair of hits and is coming off a strong month of July where he hit .317.

Steward Berroa reached base for a 24th consecutive game with a walk in the third and a two-run double to the wall in left-center to extend the New Hampshire lead 3-0. Berroa continues to hold the longest active on-base streak in the Eastern League and stole his league-leading 39th base with a steal of second in the third inning. His 24-game on-base streak matches the longest on-base streak by a Fisher Cat this season set by Leo Jimenez earlier this year.

Left-hander Mason Fluharty struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings of relief before being taken out in the ninth with one out after giving up a double to Rowdey Jordan.

With the tying run at the plate, right-hander Connor Cooke induced a flyout and a strikeout of Agustin Ruiz to slam the door, pick up his third Double-A save and seal the victory.

The Fisher Cats continue their road trip tomorrow night against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at 6:35 pm. RHP Luis Quinones (3-2, 4.53 ERA) will get the start for New Hampshire against RHP Tyler Stuart (1-0, 3.00 ERA) for Binghamton.

The next Fisher Cats home stand begins on Tuesday, August 8 against the Reading Fightin’ Phils. Promotions for the week include First Responders Night Thursday with postgame Atlas Fireworks, presented by Eastern Propane & Oil, UNH Soccer Night Friday, Wizards & Wands Night Saturday, presented by Belletetes, and a Cooler Bag Giveaway Sunday, presented by Coke Northeast, with Kids Run the Bases Postgame, sponsored by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission Division of Enforcement.

Tickets are available at NHFisherCats.com, via email at [email protected], over the phone at (603) 641-2005, or in person at the Fisher Cats box office at 1 Line Drive in Manchester.