AKRON, OHIO (6/17/16) - The New Hampshire Fisher Cats couldn't hold on to an early lead and fell victim to a big inning early on, losing 7-4 to the Akron RubberDucks Friday night at Canal Park in Akron.

The Fisher Cats (29-37) fell to 1-3 on their longest road trip of the season, and gave up a big five-run second inning to surrender an early lead. The RubberDucks (39-29) snapped an extended cold stretch, breaking out of a 12-game skid. Dwight Smith, Jr. extended his hitting streak to 14 games and his on-base streak to 23 games, both season highs for any Fisher Cats player.

New Hampshire opened the scoring in the top of the first against Akron starter Michael Peoples (W, 6-2). Jason Leblebijian dropped a flare into shallow right field for a one-out single. Dwight Smith, Jr. smashed an RBI triple to center field, scoring Leblebijian and giving New Hampshire the 1-0 edge. They doubled that advantage in the top of the second, with Matt Dean doubling to lead off the frame. After a fly out to right that advanced Dean to third base, Christian Lopes lifted a sacrifice fly to right to score Dean and double the lead to 2-0.

The RubberDucks exploded in the bottom of the second against Fisher Cats starter Shane Dawson (L, 4-4), who walked leadoff man Nellie Rodriguez. Jeremy Lucas bounced back to the mound, and Rodriguez reached second on the groundout. Joe Sever and Mike Papi smashed back-to-back RBI doubles for Akron, and Alex Monsalve hit an infield single that put runners at first and second. Ivan Castillo bounced back to the mound, but Jorge Flores dropped Dawson's throw to second, loading the bases. Dawson then walked Todd Hankins and Bradley Zimmer, bringing in runs both times. Chris Smith came in for New Hampshire, and Clint Frazier lifted a sacrifice fly to center fielder Melky Mesa, scoring Castillo and making it 5-2 Akron.

New Hampshire edged closer in the top of the fourth inning. Ryan Lavarnway worked a leadoff walk and Dean singled him to second base. Shane Opitz also singled, loading up the bases for Christian Lopes. The second baseman punched a single up the middle to score Lavarnway. With the bases still loaded, Flores hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Dean to trim the lead to 5-4.

Akron answered in the bottom of the fifth against Fisher Cats reliever Brady Dragmire. Lucas doubled to lead off the inning, and with two outs, Castillo singled him home. In the sixth inning, Zimmer led off with a single, swiped second, and came home on a two-out single by Sever to extend the lead to 7-4 for Akron. New Hampshire brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth, but Nick Maronde (S, 1) got pinch hitter Rowdy Tellez to ground out to end the game.

Dawson took the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits and three walks in 1.1 innings. Chris Smith gave up two hits against one strikeout in 2.2 shutout frames of relief. Dragmire gave up two runs on four hits and three walks in two innings; he whiffed one. John Stilson threw two scoreless frames with one strikeout and one walk.

The Fisher Cats will try to right the ship Saturday night , with righty Luis Santos starting for New Hampshire against Akron righty Nick Pasquale. First pitch from Canal Park is at 7:05 p.m., and Ben Gellman has the call starting at 6:45 p.m. on the Fisher Cats Radio Network.

►  MORE 2016 Fisher Cats Coverage


Posted 7/10/16