Dominant Castillo, Back-to-Back Homers Lift Fisher Cats to Win
Manchester, N.H. – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (10-9) bounced back after two straight losses to beat the Reading Fightin Phils (Philadelphia Phillies, 6-13) by a score of 2-1. Starter Max Castillo (W, 3-0) tossed his longest outing of the season, and Will Robertson and Ryan Gold hit back-to-back home
Manchester, N.H. – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (10-9) bounced back after two straight losses to beat the Reading Fightin Phils (Philadelphia Phillies, 6-13) by a score of 2-1. Starter Max Castillo (W, 3-0) tossed his longest outing of the season, and Will Robertson and Ryan Gold hit back-to-back home runs.
Castillo, making his 100th appearance and 92nd start of his minor league career, allowed just two baserunners across the first two innings. In the top of the third, Reading threatened with one out and runners on second and third. Luis De Los Santos caught a line drive and fielded a grounder on back-to-back plays to keep the game scoreless.
With just three hits across the first four innings, the New Hampshire bats awoke for four hits in the bottom of the fifth. Robertson and Gold hit back-to-back home runs over the right field wall to put the Cats up, 2-0. It was each of their first homers this season.
Robertson and Gold are the second duo to hit back-to-back jacks for New Hampshire in 2022. Zac Cook and Luis De Los Santos did so at Altoona last week.
Castillo came onto mound for the sixth inning and allowed two straight baserunners. After a sacrifice bunt, the 22-year-old Venezuelan forced a sharp ground ball down the first base line. John Aiello made a diving stop and tapped the first base bag for a crucial second out. Reading scored on the play, but the score would remain 2-1.
Castillo finished with 6.0 innings of work and allowed one run on six hits. He walked two and struck out seven.
Geison Urbaez and Trey Cumbie each earned holds, pitching scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth, respectively. Parker Caracci earned his first save of the year with a scoreless ninth.
New Hampshire will take on Reading in the fifth game of their six-game homestand tomorrow, April 30 at Delta Dental Stadium. The homestand extends through Sunday, May 1. Tickets can be found at NHFisherCats.com, via email at [email protected], over the phone at (603) 641-2005, or in-person at the Fisher Cats box office at 1 Line Drive in Manchester.