Fisher Cats pull ahead late to win series

READING, P.A — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, pulled ahead late with a 12-3 victory over the Reading Fightin’ Phils on Saturday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.

With the win, the Fisher Cats have swept the season series against Reading (26-30, 54-70) and have won 16 of 23 total meetings.

Trailing 3-2 entering the seventh, New Hampshire (23-30, 58-63) scored three runs with two outs to take the lead. Miguel Hiraldo tied the game on an RBI double, one of his two RBI on the night. Next batter later, Rainer Nunez launched his second home run of the game, a go-ahead two-run shot to put New Hampshire ahead 5-3. It was Nunez’s first multi-home run game at Double-A, part of a three-RBI night for the first baseman.

In the ninth, the Fisher Cats plated home seven runs on three hits to break the game open. Alan Roden drove in a run with a single, one of his game-high three hits on the night. It’s the second straight three-hit night for the Blue Jays No. 7 prospect.

Hiraldo made it a four-run lead with a sac-fly before a Phil Clarke RBI single and a Michael Turconi bases loaded walk extended the lead to six. Riley Tirotta cleared the bases with a stand-up triple to center, only his second triple of the season, to make it 12-3 New Hampshire. It’s Tirotta’s third three-RBI game at Double-A.

Jeffrey Wehler drove in a run with a triple in the fourth to collect his first Double-A hit and RBI in his debut. The 24-year-old is the fourth newcomer to join the team this week.

Right-hander Troy Watson (3-6) picked up his second win this week after going 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and striking out two. Left-hander Mason Fluharty left the tying runs stranded on the corners in the eighth with a strikeout before right-hander Juan Nunez closed things out with a game-ending strikeout in the ninth.

The Fisher Cats continue their 12-game road trip and conclude their six-game series against the Reading Fightin’ Phils tomorrow at 5:15 pm. Blue Jays No. 1 prospect LHP Ricky Tiedemann (0-4, 6.04 ERA) will get the start for New Hampshire against LHP Josh Hendrickson (2-7, 5.06 ERA) for Reading.

The final home stand of the regular season for the Fisher Cats begins on Tuesday, September 12 against the Somerset Patriots. Promotions for the week include 2000s Night Thursday, presented by NH Healthy Families and postgame Atlas Fireworks, Copa de la Diversion night Friday, Rock N’ Roll Night Saturday with a mystery bobblehead giveaway, presented by Delta Dental, and Fan Appreciation Day Sunday with Kids Run the Bases Postgame, sponsored by the N-H Liquor Commission Division of Enforcement!

Tickets are available 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.