Mineo, Murphy propel Fisher Cats

MANCHESTER– Alberto Mineo went 4-for-4 with a home run and five RBIs and Patrick Murphy struck out a career-high 10 batters to lead the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays Double-A affiliate) over the Reading Fightin Phils (Philadelphia Phillies) 9-1 on Wednesday morning at Delta Dental Stadium.

The Fisher Cats welcomed in 6,906 fans as part of STEM in the Stadium, presented by Southern New Hampshire University.

The Fisher Cats (18-19) earned the win in the rubber game of the three-game series, breaking open a close contest with eight unanswered runs.

The teams exchanged solo homers in the early innings. Mineo drilled a line shot that cleared the fence in right field for his third home run. Reading tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the third inning on a solo home run by Josh Stephen.

New Hampshire took control in the bottom of the fourth inning. Brock Lundquist  (2-for-4) singled and Mineo doubled him in. Kevin Smith  followed with his third homer of the season, a two-run blast to left, for a 4-1 lead.

In the top of the sixth inning, Lundquist doubled and Mineo ripped an RBI single up the middle for another run.

The Fisher Cats started a four-run rally in the home seventh with a triple by Vinny Capra. Forrest Wall  knocked in a run with a single. Santiago Espinal  walked and Patrick Kivlehan  reached on an error to load the bases. Mineo delivered a two-run single and Smith drove in Kivlehan with a base hit for a 9-1 lead.

Murphy (W, 2-4) allowed one run in his seven innings. He did not walk a batter and the 10 strikeouts were a career-high.

Reading put up a pair of unearned runs in the top of the eighth inning after Jake Fishman  took over on the mound. Bailey Falter (L, 3-2) took the loss for the Fightin Phils.

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NOTES: The ten-strikeout performance is the first by a Fisher Cats player since Sean Reid-Foley had 10 last May 21 vs. Reading. … Mineo had the second four-hit game of the season. … The Fisher Cats open a four-game series tomorrow night in Hartford. RHP Hector Perez  (2-2, 7.33 ERA) is slated to start for New Hampshire against southpaw Ty Culbreth (3-2, 4.08 ERA) for the Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies Double-A).