Fisher Cats secure doubleheader sweep over Reading on Wednesday

MANCHESTER, N.H — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, secured a doubleheader sweep over the Reading Fightin’ Phils on Wednesday afternoon, winning game one 3-2 and game two 5-3 from Delta Dental Stadium.

In the first game, New Hampshire fell behind early 2-0 but Trevor Schwecke answered in the second inning with his fifth homer of the season off left-handed starter Josh Hendrickson to cut the deficit in half. Schwecke is hitting a team-best .452 against left-handed pitching.

Sebastian Espino tied the score 2-2 in the fifth with an infield RBI single to the vacant right side of the infield to bring home Schwecke.

With the game still even after the top of the seventh, Schwecke reached base on a leadoff walk and was bunted over to second by Andres Sosa. A wild pitch advanced him to third, setting the stage for Riley Tirotta to win the game. Tirotta did not disappoint, lifting a fly ball deep enough into center to score Schwecke, giving New Hampshire a 3-2 victory.

It's New Hampshire’s first walk-off win of the season.

On the mound, starting right-hander Chad Dallas struck out a Double-A high 10 in five strong innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and no walks in a no-decision. Dallas was one strikeout shy of matching his career-high of 11 set earlier this year while with High-A Vancouver.

Right-handed reliever Juan Nunez (2-3) threw two scoreless innings to keep the game tied and pick up the win. Nunez has allowed just two earned runs in his last 16.1 innings pitched.

In the second game, New Hampshire (12-20, 47-53) fell behind 3-0 after a three-run home run by Reading’s Oliver Dunn in the third.

A pair of Fisher Cat home runs in the fourth inning gave them the lead back. Rainer Nunez drove one down the right field line and over the wall for a two-run homer, his fifth in Double-A. One batter later, Miguel Hiraldo hit a go-ahead two-run homer to left field, his seventh on the season. It’s Hiraldo’s second home run in his last three games.

Tirotta made it a 5-3 lead with an RBI single up the middle in the sixth.

Steward Berroa stole his 40^th base of the season to put him back in a tie for the Eastern League lead in stolen bases with Portland’s Corey Rosier.

Starting right-hander Luis Quinones (4-2) struck out a season-high seven in five innings while allowing just one walk and the three-run homer to Dunn in the third. The 26-year-old Puerto Rican right-hander won his first start since beating Binghamton on Aug. 24, 2021.

Out of the bullpen, right-hander T.J Brock struck out the side in the sixth and left-hander Mason Fluharty punched out the final batter with the tying runs in scoring position to collect his fourth Double-A save.

The Fisher Cats continue their home stand against the Reading Fightin’ Phils tomorrow at 7:05 pm. RHP Michael Dominguez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will make the start for New Hampshire against RHP Mick Abel (3-4, 4.28 ERA) for Reading.

Promotions for the week include First Responders Night Thursday with postgame Atlas Fireworks, presented by Eastern Propane & Oil, UNH Soccer Night Friday, Wizards & Wands Night Saturday, presented by Belletetes, and a Cooler Bag Giveaway Sunday, presented by Coke Northeast, with Kids Run the Bases Postgame, sponsored by the New Hampshire 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.