First-place Fishers Sunk By Sea Dogs Despite Sanchez Rehab Start

Former 'Cat and current Blue Jay Aaron Sanchez goes 4.2 IP in 4-3 New Hampshire loss

PORTLAND, ME - Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Aaron Sanchez made a rehab start for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and Bo Bichette notched three hits Monday night at Hadlock Field, but the 'Cats fell to the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox) 4-3 in the first of four games between the two clubs over the next four days. Despite the loss, the Fisher Cats maintained their 2.5 game lead over Trenton (Yankees) in the Eastern Division thanks to a Thunder loss.

Sanchez - who played for the 'Cats in 2014 - is rehabbing a right index finger contusion that has sidelined him since the end of June.

A passed ball allowed the first run of the game to score for Portland in the second and they added three to their lead in the fourth. In that inning, Sanchez allowed three runs on three hits with two walks as the ea Dogs went up 4-0.

New Hampshire went on to score single runs in three separate innings but came up just short. Bo Bichette singled home the first 'Cats run of the game in the fifth, Santiago Espinal doubled home a score in the sixth and Bichette added another RBI single in the ninth to pull the Fisher Cats within one, but the tying run was stranded at first as New Hampshire fell 4-3.

Bichette's three hits and two RBI led the way, while Jon Berti added two hits, two stolen bases and a run scored to his season line.

Tonight's scheduled starter Hector Perez limited the Sea Dogs to one hit, walked one and struck out three in three innings after Sanchez was finished.

The series continues Tuesday night at Hadlock Field. RHP T.J. Zeuch (8-4, 3.34 ERA) will go for New Hampshire while Portland sends LHP Daniel McGrath (2-3, 3.59 ERA) to the hill. Coverage begins with the Fisher Cats Pregame Show at 5:45 p.m. and continues with first pitch at 6:00 p.m. on the WGIR Fisher Cats Radio Network.

New Hampshire returns to Northeast Delta Dental Stadium on Wednesday, August 22 to play a twi-night doubleheader with the Portland Sea Dogs at 5:35 p.m. The Fisher Cats are closing in on a milestone five million in total attendance. The lucky fan will be rewarded with a spectacular prize package. It will also be Comic Con night and we're giving away FREE t-shirts to the first 1,000 fans presented by Consolidated Communications. For more information, and for tickets, visit www.nhfishercats.com.