Fisher Cats score early and strike out plenty in victory
READING, P.A — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, scored early and struck out plenty of Reading Fightin’ Phils in a 6-3 win on Tuesday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. New Hampshire (55-62, 20-29) struck out a season-high 18 batters on the night with
READING, P.A — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, scored early and struck out plenty of Reading Fightin’ Phils in a 6-3 win on Tuesday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.
New Hampshire (55-62, 20-29) struck out a season-high 18 batters on the night with 11 of the strikeouts coming from starting left-hander Ricky Tiedemann. The Blue Jays No. 1 prospect set a new career-high with 11 strikeouts in 3.2 innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits over two walks on 64 pitches in a no-decision. At one point, the 21-year-old struck out eight batters in a row. It’s the second time in his career where he has punched out double digit batters in a game.
The Fisher Cats scored four runs in the first inning on six hits. Alan Roden led off the game with a solo home run, his sixth at Double-A. The Blue Jays No. 7 prospect is hitting .439 in his last 10 games with four homers and eight RBI.
After three straight singles, Rainer Nunez drove in a pair with a single back up the middle, his 29th and 30th RBI at Double-A. Trevor Schwecke made it a four-run first inning with an RBI double off the bottom of the wall.
Michael Turconi hit his second Double-A homer in as many games with an opposite field shot to left to give New Hampshire a 5-1 lead after the top of the fourth.
Reading (25-27, 53-67) plated two unearned runs home in the fourth off Tiedemann but Will Robertson scored on a wild pitch in the seventh to extend the lead 6-3.
New Hampshire’s bullpen combined for 5.1 scoreless innings and seven strikeouts after the southpaw departed in the fourth. Troy Watson (2-6) threw two innings with four strikeouts to pick up the win, Mason Fluharty pitched in 1.1 innings, T.J. Brock pitched a 1-2-3 eighth and Juan Nunez recorded his first save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth.
The Fisher Cats continue their 12-game road trip and their six-game series against the Reading Fightin’ Phils tomorrow at 6:45. RHP Michael Dominguez (1-0, 3.18 ERA) will start for New Hampshire against RHP Mick Abel (4-5, 3.66 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.