Connecticut Defenders Defeat New Hampshire Fisher Cats 3-2 in Home Opener Eastern League Game

MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com – Norwich, CT- Ryan Klosterman, Aaron Mathews and Scott Campbell each had two hits, and three New Hampshire pitchers held Connecticut to only four hits, but the Defenders edged the Fisher Cats 3-2 before 2,912 fans at Dodd Stadium on Thursday’s Opening Night of the Eastern League season.

Adam Witter’s two-run home run highlighted a three-run fourth inning for Connecticut (1-0).  Travis Denker (1-for-3, 2B, RBI) knocked in Antoan Richardson (0-for-2, BB, HBP, R, SB) with a run-scoring double to right field before Witter (1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI) pulled a Scott Richmond offering just inside the rightfield foul pole to give the Defenders a 3-0 lead.
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New Hampshire (0-1) responded with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning against right-hander Adam Cowart.  Klosterman (2-3, R, SB, SAC) and Campbell (2-for-4) strung together back-to-back singles to start the frame.  Brian Jeroloman (1-for-4, RBI, SAC) drove in Klosterman with an RBI infield single, and Mathews (2-for-5, R), who reached on a fielder’s choice, scored on Ryan Sadowski’s wild pitch.

 

Sadowski (1-0) earned the win with 1.2 innings of relief.  He struck out two and walked one.

 

Richmond (0-1) took the hard-luck loss, allowing three runs –two earned- over five innings.  The right-hander struck out six, walked one and allowed three hits, all in the fourth inning.

 

Sergio Romo struck out the side in the ninth inning to notch the save.

 

The Fisher Cats stranded 10 runners, including six in scoring position.  New Hampshire had its best to tie in the top of the seventh inning when they loaded the bases with no outs.  But right-hander Ronnie Ray struck out Ryan Patterson and Jacob Butler before inducing an inning-ending fly out by Jacob Butler.

 

Left-handers A.J. Wideman (2 IP) and Jo Matumoto (1 IP) combined for three shutout innings of relief for New Hampshire.

 

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