Manchester, New Hampshire - The Portland Sea Dogs (9-6)(44-39) fell 15-8 on Thursday night as the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (9-6)(43-39) pulled away late to take the series lead, 2-1.
Nate Baez (9) and Brooks Brannon (13) both blasted home runs that traveled more than 440 feet. Franklin Arias (18) added a home run in the ninth, as the Sea Dogs recorded their second three-home run game of the series. Six different Sea Dogs have hit home runs through the first three games of this series.
The Fisher Cats jumped on starter RHP Gage Ziehl early, scoring four runs off two two-run home runs by Arjun Nimmala and Aaron Parker.
After that, the Sea Dogs chipped away, scoring one run in the second inning on a Johanfran Garcia RBI single, and three runs in the fourth inning. Two came on the Brannon home run, while Caden Rose added an RBI double to tie the game 4-4.
The tie did not last long, as the Fisher Cats put up five runs in the bottom half of the inning. Four runs scored on a Jorge Burgos grand slam, before Hedbert Perez added one more with an RBI single.
The Sea Dogs continued to battle. In the fifth inning, Will Turner walked, Garcia singled, and Baez hit a three-run home run, cutting the lead to 9-7.
The game was broken open by the Fisher Cats in the bottom of the eighth. Perez doubled to bring in Aaron Parker. With two on base, Dub Gleed hit a three-run homer, extending the lead to 13-7. The Sea Dogs sent in catcher Raudelis Martinez to pitch with two outs. He allowed a single and a two-RBI double before forcing a groundout to end the inning.
New Hampshire batted around twice in the game, in the fourth and ninth innings, putting up five and six runs respectively.
RHP Danny Thompson Jr. (1-0, 2.45 ERA) earned the win, allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched. The losing decision went to RHP Gage Ziehl (4-3, 4.84 ERA), allowing eight runs on seven hits, three home runs, and three walks with four strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work.
The Sea Dogs and Fisher Cats will meet again tomorrow for game four of this week’s series, with RHP John Holobetz (4-3, 4.57 ERA) set to face RHP Jackson Wentworth (4-5, 4.59 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:03 pm at Delta Dental Stadium.