Fightin Phils 4, Fisher Cats 3

MANCHESTER – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (17-18, 46-58) fell to the Reading Fightin Phils (14-21, 39-64) 4-3 in 12 innings Thursday night.

In a game headlined by a rehab start from Toronto’s Alek Manoah, center fielder Victor Arias tripled twice and left fielder Je’Von Ward knocked his second homer of the week as the Fisher Cats left six runners in scoring position.

Box Score

Top takeaways:

• RHP Alek Manoah rehabs with a pair of strikeouts in three innings
• OF Je’Von Ward posts fifth-straight game with an extra-base hit with game-tying HR
• RHP Geison Urbaez shuttles three hitless, scoreless innings of relief
• 3B Charles McAdoo extends on-base streak to eight games

Manoah finished responsible for a pair of runs on five hits and three walks in three innings. After a pair of strikeouts, reliever Geison Urbaez fired three scoreless innings of relief. Right-hander Devereaux Harrison showed two scoreless frames before Nate Garkow surrendered the game’s tying run in the ninth. Hunter Gregory capped a scoreless 11th with a swinging strikeout.

Reading’s Griff McGarry fired a season-high 11 strikeouts to carry Reading through five innings. Right-hander Gunner Mayer struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth despite allowing a pair of hits and a run. Reading relievers John McMillon, Jack Dallas, Tristan Garnett and Jaydenn Estanista all staved New Hampshire off the scoreboard with five innings of scoreless relief.

Reading opened the scoring in the top of the first and jumped on the rehabbing Manoah with a walk and back-to-back hits. Left fielder Cade Fergus was the third Fightins batter to reach off Manoah and plated second baseman Nick Dunn with a base hit to give the R-Phils a 1-0 lead.

Despite a double and a walk, Manoah worked through a scoreless third with a strikeout before Reading plated another run in the fourth. Right fielder Leandro Pineda doubled and Fergus walked to end the night for Manoah. Reliever Geison Urbaez allowed a second run to score on Manoah’s line with a wild pitch before finishing the top of the fourth.

Arias began his three-hit night and smoked his first of two triples in the bottom of the fourth, which soared right by Reading’s Pineda in right field. McGarry threatened to strand Arias at third after picking up two quick outs, but Ward drilled a two-run shot the opposite way to left-center field and tied Thursday’s game at 2-2.

The Fisher Cats extended their lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning, again an effort led off by an Arias triple. Designated hitter Jackson Hornung singled in Arias to give New Hampshire the lead at 3-2.

Both teams traded zeroes before the Fightins tied Thursday’s game. Down to their final out, Reading first baseman Felix Reyes singled to left field to plate Miller and force the bottom of the ninth. New Hampshire first baseman Ryan McCarty singled in the home ninth but was stranded to send the contest to an extra frame.

The Fisher Cats put the go-ahead run third base in the top of the 10th and 11th innings but could not convert, stranding five runners on base over the final three frames. Reading took a 4-3 lead in the top of the 12th inning on a sacrifice fly from first baseman Felix Reyes as the Fisher Cats went down in order in the bottom of the innings to drop their second straight.

New Hampshire and Reading continue their six-game set with a 6:35 PM EDT first pitch on Friday night. The Fisher Cats sends Trey Yesavage (1-1, 4.68 ERA) to the hill against Reading’s Estibenzon Jimenez (2-3, 5.77 ERA).

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