ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA - (6/20/16) The New Hampshire Fisher Cats rode two fingers off the bat of catcher Ryan Lavarnway to victory on Monday night, beating the Erie SeaWolves 6-5 at Jerry Uht Park.

The Fisher Cats (30-39) snapped a four-game losing streak and managed to hang on in a one-run game, despite having led by as many as four runs Monday night. The SeaWolves (31-41) got the tying run on base in the ninth inning but couldn't get him around to score. Fisher Cats outfielder Dwight Smith, Jr. saw his career-best hitting streak come to an end after 16 games, going 0-4.

New Hampshire opened the scoring in the top of the first against Erie starter Josh Turley. Roemon Fields cracked a leadoff double to left, and Jason Leblebijian followed suit with one of his own to right to plate Fields. With one out, Lavarnway bashed a huge two-run homer to left field, putting New Hampshire ahead 3-0.

Erie got on the board in the bottom of the second, with Fisher Cats starter Taylor Cole on the hill. Corey Jones bounced one to Leblebijian at third that Leblebijian threw away, and came in on a one-out double by Kody Eaves, trimming New Hampshire's edge to 3-1.

The Fisher Cats got a pair in the top of the fourth inning. Rowdy Tellez and Matt Dean knocked consecutive singles to lead off the frame, and advanced to second and third on a wild pitch by Turley. Christian Lopes singled to center, scoring Tellez, and Dean came in on a sacrifice fly by Shane Opitz, putting the Fisher Cats in front 5-1.

Erie answered in the bottom of the frame, as Dominic Ficiociello singled and Eaves walked to begin the inning. Grayson Greiner singled home Ficociello, and Harold Castro doubled Eaves in, cutting the lead to 5-3.

New Hampshire added a critical insurance run in the top of the fifth. Lavarnway turned on a fastball from Turley and deposited it over the center field fence, with the solo blast giving New Hampshire the 6-3 edge. That homer would be crucial, as Erie got closer with a pair of solo homers in the sixth and seventh innings. The first was from Casey Frawley off Wil Browning, and Ficociello followed with his own in the seventh against John Stilson (W, 3-0). New Hampshire clung to the 6-5 lead, and Danny Barnes shut down the SeaWolves in the ninth to finish the victory.

Cole took a no-decision, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits and four walks over 4.2 innings while fanning five. Browning gave up a run on two hits in one inning, recording two strikeouts. Stilson gave up a run on only one hit in 2.1 innings of action while striking out two, and was credited with the win. Barnes recorded a shutout ninth to secure his first save.

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Posted 7/10/16