SENATORS GAME RECAP

RHP Jordan Zimmermann turned in a solid outing Tuesday against the Connecticut Defenders at Commerce Bank Park, but the Senators fell 5-2. Harrisburg was stifled by the Defenders’ pitching staff, one of the best in the Eastern League.

Zimmermann went 5.2 innings and allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits, three walks as he struck out four. He left with the bases loaded and game tied, but an error allowed the go-ahead run to score. Zimmermann took the loss in his Double-A debut.

The Defenders got an unearned run in the top of the 1st inning. Olmo Rosario reached on an error, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single by Travis Ishikawa.

Harrisburg came back with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame. Mike Daniel and William Bergolla hit back-to-back singles to put runners at the corners and nobody out. Defenders starter Adam Cowart induced a run-scoring double-play ball that allowed the tying run to score.

Connecticut took a 2-1 lead on Carlos Sosa’s solo home run off the scoreboard in the 4th inning, but the Senators tied it up soon after. In the bottom of the inning, back-to-back doubles by Bergolla and Roger Bernadina plated the tying run to make it 2-2.

The Defenders took the lead for good in the top of the 6th. Zimmermann issued a one-out walk to Rosario followed by a single by Ben Copeland. He walked Sosa to load the bases and Tim Bittner came on and induced a ground ball, but an error allowed a run to score and gave the Defenders a 3-2 advantage.

Connecticut plated another run in the 7th on a bases-loaded walk to Ishikawa and tacked on an insurance run in the 9th with the help of an error and an RBI single by Rosario to make it 5-2.

Cowart picked up the win to move to 2-1. Osiris Matos notched his first save of the season.

The Senators are 20-11 on the season, while the Defenders improved to 15-16.

The series rolls on Wednesday at Commerce Bank Park. RHP Tristan Crawford takes the ball for the Senators in a 6:05 PM start.