More heartbreak — New Hampshire falls in extras at Reading

Reading, Pa. – For the third time in five games, New Hampshire and Reading needed extra innings to decide a winner at FirstEnergy Stadium. Again, the Fisher Cats (22-40, 53-78) went ahead in the extra frame but fell, 5-4, to the Reading Fightin Phils (Philadelphia Phillies, 30-32, 59-72) on Saturday night.

Phil Clarke crushed a two-RBI double in the top of the 10th to score Zac Cook and Addison Barger, giving New Hampshire a 4-2 lead. Clarke is 6-for-17 (.353) with two doubles and two RBIs in September.

Reading once again had the answer, though. Carlos De La Cruz drove a two-RBI triple to left-center field in the bottom of the 10th to tie the game, 4-4. He scored on a wild pitch to give Reading the walk-off win. De La Cruz has six RBIs in the series against New Hampshire.

Pitchers impressed for New Hampshire early on. Sem Robberse dealt his best Double-A start, giving up two earned runs in 5.0 innings with three strikeouts. Blue Jays No. 6 prospect Yosver Zulueta went 2.0 hitless, scoreless innings with three strikeouts as well.

Hugo Cardona had a great night at the plate, keeping New Hampshire in the game until late. He hit his first Double-A homer in the third and drove in another run with a single in the fourth.

New Hampshire outhit Reading, 7-6, in the game. The Fisher Cats have now lost 13 of their last 14 games.

The Fisher Cats conclude their series against Reading tomorrow, September 11 with first pitch at 5:15 p.m. They return home for their final homestand of the 2022 season on September 13 with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. against the Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals). 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.