Fisher Cats 6, Fightin Phils 4
- Updated: August 16, 2024
READING, Pa. — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (14-25, 44-63) took down the Reading Fightin Phils (17-25, 48-62) 6-4 at FirstEnergy Stadium on Thursday night, 6-4.
The Fisher Cats rode a 6-0 lead before the Phils scored four unanswered runs in the seventh and eighth. Right-hander Jonathan Lavallee (S, 2) produced the final out of the eighth and fired the first Fisher Cats immaculate inning of 2024 to cement the Thursday win.
Left fielder RJ Schreck started the scoring with a solo homer in the top of the third inning, his 14th of the year and second since joining New Hampshire’s roster on August 2.
Right-hander Michael Dominguez made his first start in over a month for New Hampshire and tossed three scoreless innings. Dominguez didn’t allow a runner past second base. Abdiel Mendoza (W, 8-8) pitched the middle three innings and blanked the Phils. Nick Fraze tossed 1 2/3 innings and fell responsible for the four Reading runs.
Third baseman Charles McAdoo walked and stole second to begin the top of the fourth. Rainer Nuñez also walked, and after both runners advanced on a wild pitch, designated hitter Yohendrick Piñango plated McAdoo with a single to stretch New Hampshire’s lead to 2-0. Right fielder Gabriel Martinez drove in Nunez on a groundout to move the lead to 3-0.
The Fisher Cats tallied another two-run inning in the top of the fifth. Center fielder Dasan Brown walked with one out and Schreck notched his second hit of the game to put runners at the corners. Shortstop Alex De Jesus reached on a fielder’s choice to move the New Hampshire lead to 4-0. After a walk from McAdoo, Nuñez poked a two-out single into left field to score De Jesus and give the Fisher Cats a 5-0 lead.
New Hampshire’s scoring ended in the top of the seventh; Brown singled and stole second before a McAdoo RBI single – his fourth time reaching base in the game – to give the Fisher Cats a 6-0 lead.
Reading threatened with four unanswered runs and came as close as bringing the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the eighth. The Fightins broke up the shutout bid in the bottom of the seventh, thanks to a solo home run by Ethan Wilson. Reading’s Trevor Schweke highlighted a three-run eighth inning with a two-out, two-run single to right field. After trailing 6-0, the Fightin Phils brought the tying run to the plate. Lavallee forced the final out of the eighth and struck out the side with his immaculate inning in the ninth.
New Hampshire and Reading continue the series with game four of six at FirstEnergy Stadium on Friday, with a 7 p.m.first pitch. Fisher Cats RHP Lázaro Estrada (1-3, 2.93 ERA) takes the hill to face Reading’s Jean Cabrera (0-1, 4.05 ERA).
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