MANCHESTER, New Hampshire — Kevin Nolan drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats walked off with a 2-1 Eastern League baseball win over the Portland Sea Dogs Friday night at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium.
The Sea Dogs scored first for the second straight night, as Carlos Asuaje delivered an RBI single to score Manuel Margot in the top of the fourth. But just like Thursday night, the Sea Dogs lead didn’t hold past the next half inning, as KC Hobson — son of former Red Sox player and manager Butch Hobson — hit a towering home run off of Danny Rosenbaum to even the score at one.
Rosenbaum worked four innings in his second start for Portland, allowing one earned run on eight hits while walking one.
Fisher Cats starter Taylor Cole went six innings and allowed one earned run on three hits while walking five and striking out five.
The game remained tied until the ninth. In the top of the inning, Portland’s Sam Travis led off with a double, but couldn’t advance past second base as Colt Hynes (1-0) retired the next three batters he faced to escape the jam.
After Portland’s John Cornely (0-1) walked Ian Parmley to begin the bottom of the ninth, Jorge Flores dropped a sacrifice bunt to advance Parmley to second with one out.
Sea Dogs manager Billy McMillon elected to intentionally walk Roemon Fields, then Jon Berti struck out looking for the second out of the inning. After Dwight Smith Jr. walked to load the bases, Cornely ended up issuing a bases-loaded walk to end the game after he was ahead of Nolan with a ball and two strikes.