Spain, McCarty Lead Cats’ Charge over Reading 

MANCHESTER, NH — Three home runs led the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (29-35) to a 6-5 victory over the Reading Fightin Phils (28-36) at Delta Dental Stadium on Tuesday. Garrett Spain and Ryan McCarty both had three-hit nights and hit home runs in the victory.

Fisher Cats starter Devereaux Harrison (W, 2-4) tossed four scoreless innings and struck out five, then battled through a tough fifth. Reading posted three runs on three hits in the fifth; Marcus Lee Sang tied the game with a home run. However, McCarty’s solo blast in the bottom of the fifth put Harrison in line for the win. Harrison finished the contest with six strikeouts and three earned runs allowed.

After two innings of zeros, New Hampshire broke the scoreless deadlock in the bottom of the third. Catcher Kekai Rios led off the inning with a double off the left-center field wall, then Spain demolished a fastball from Reading starter Lachlan Wells (L, 2-5) over the right field wall for his team-leading ninth home run to make it 2-0, Fisher Cats. The Cats poked two more hits in the inning, but both McCarty and Alex De Jesus were left on base.

Gabby Martinez added a tally to the Fisher Cats lead in the bottom of the fourth with a solo blast over dead center field, the deepest part of Delta Dental Stadium. The homer is the second of the month for the 21-year-old, and his fifth of the season.

Reading responded with three runs in the top of the fifth against Harrison, two of which came via the long ball. Robert Moore led off the inning with a check-swing single to left, then former Fisher Cat Trevor Schwecke pulled a ground ball down the left field line for a double, which scored Moore. Three batters later, Lee Sang hit the homer to plate Schwecke and tie the game at 3-3.

In the bottom of the fifth, McCarty belted the third pitch from Wells to give the Fisher Cats the lead back at 4-3. The lead grew to three in the bottom of the seventh. First baseman Rainer Nuñez drove in McCarty, who singled and stole second. The next batter, second baseman Miguel Hiraldo, hit a chopper to the right side to score third baseman Alex De Jesus, who walked and ran from first to third on the Nuñez single. After the seventh, New Hampshire led, 6-3.

Bullpen arms Braydon Fisher, Hunter Gregory and Ryan Boyer (S, 5) kept the Fightin’ Phils at bay. Reading threatened late and brought the go-ahead run to the plate in Lee Sang, who knocked his two-run home run in the fifth, but a 4-6-3 double play secured New Hampshire’s Tuesday win.

New Hampshire and Reading continue their series Wednesday night at Delta Dental Stadium with a 6:35 PM first pitch. Fisher Cats southpaw Adam Macko (4-2, 3.69 ERA) toes the rubber against Reading lefty Matt Osterberg (1-3, 5.98 ERA).

Fans can purchase multi-game memberships and single-game tickets at NHFishercats.com, via email at [email protected], by phone at (603) 641-2005, and in-person at the Fisher Cats box office on 1 Line Drive in Manchester.

About the New Hampshire Fisher Cats

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays and play their games at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester. Over 155 former Fisher Cats have reached the Major League level. The Fisher Cats have raised millions of dollars for various charities through the Fisher Cats Foundation and continuously strive to improve the quality of life for Granite State residents. The organization has been recognized as New Hampshire Business Review’s “Best Sporting Event to Take Clients to”, Parenting New Hampshire Magazine’s “New Hampshire’s Favorite Sporting Event for Families”, and New Hampshire Magazine’s “Best New Hampshire Sports Team”. For more information on the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, please visit NHFisherCats.com, call (603) 641-2005, or contact Chris Jared via email at [email protected].