HARTFORD, CT – An eighth-inning wild pitch helped the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (31-30) secure a hard-fought Sunday victory at Dunkin’ Park against the Hartford Yard Goats (35-27), 7-6. Reliever Caleb Freeman (SV, 4) twirled two scoreless innings and secured the win with a groundout to end the game.
With the game locked in a 6-6 tie in the top of the eighth, New Hampshire center fielder Victor Arias blasted a leadoff double. Catcher C.J. Stubbs lined a single and third baseman Dub Gleed walked which loaded the bases. With left fielder Eddie Micheletti Jr. at the plate, Arias scampered home on a wild pitch and gave the Cats a 7-6 lead.
New Hampshire starter Austin Cates struck out a pair and allowed four hits and four walks in 3/2-3 innings of four-run ball. Lefty Mason Olson went 2-1/3 innings on the bump and allowed a run. Righty Yondrei Rojas (W, 1-3) allowed a run in the seventh but stranded the bases loaded on a strikeout.
Hartford starter Connor Staine allowed three earned runs on five hits and racked up five strikeouts in five innings. Reliever Cade Denton (L, 3-4) allowed the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the eighth inning and suffered the loss.
Tonight’s Top Takeaways
- 3B Dub Gleed recorded his first Double-A hit and RBI in the contest.
- RF Carter Cunningham notched his second multi-hit game with New Hampshire.
- Catcher C.J. Stubbs has laced a hit in every contest with the Cats since his arrival on June 9.
- RHP Caleb Freeman secured his fourth save, the most on New Hampshire’s active roster.
The Fisher Cats struck first on Sunday. With one out in the first, second baseman Adrian Pinto laced a double. The next batter, first baseman Jorge Burgos, ripped an RBI single and made it 1-0.
Hartford answered with a big bottom of the second inning. With one away, first baseman Aidan Longwell (9) tied the game with a solo home run. Following the homer, designated hitter Jimmy Obertop walked. Two batters later, left fielder Zach Kokoska cracked an RBI triple. Third baseman Dyan Jorge brought Kokoska home on an RBI knock which made it 3-1.
The Cats tied the game in the fourth. Following a flyout, right fielder Carter Cunningham singled. Shortstop Nick Goodwin (7) slugged a two-run blast and evened the score at three.
The Goats retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth on three walks and three wild pitches. In the fifth, second baseman Roc Riggio (8) added an insurance run on a solo homer, 5-3.
The back-and-forth contest continued. New Hampshire made it a one-run game on a sixth-inning sacrifice fly from Gleed and then took the lead on a two-run blast from Cunningham (2) in the seventh. The Goats tied the game in the bottom of the seventh on shortstop Andy Perez’s infield RBI single.
Following a day off, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats continue their two-week road trip with a six-game series at the Binghamton Rumble Ponies beginning Tuesday, June 16. First pitch for the series opener is slated for 6:07 PM EDT.
Season and single-game tickets for the 2026 season are available at nhfishercats.com, via email at info@nhfishercats.com, by phone at (603) 641-2005, and in-person at the Delta Dental Stadium Box Office on 1 Line Drive in Manchester, New Hampshire.
About the New Hampshire Fisher Cats
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays and play their games at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester. Over 170 former Fisher Cats have reached the Major League level. The Fisher Cats have raised millions of dollars for various charities through the Fisher Cats Foundation and continuously strive to improve the quality of life for Granite State residents. The organization has been recognized as New Hampshire Business Review’s “Best Sporting Event to Take Clients to”, Parenting New Hampshire Magazine’s “New Hampshire’s Favorite Sporting Event for Families”, and New Hampshire Magazine’s “Best New Hampshire Sports Team”. For more information on the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, please visit nhfishercats.com, call (603) 641-2005, or contact Chris Jared via email at cjared@nhfishercats.com.