MANCHESTER, N.H — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, fell in the series finale to the Reading Fightin’ Phils by a score of 8-3 on Sunday afternoon from Delta Dental Stadium.
Trailing 1-0 in the third, New Hampshire (14-22, 49-55) answered back on a Leo Jimenez RBI single, a Damiano Palmegiani sac fly and a Miguel Hiraldo RBI single to take a 3-1 lead. Palmegiani now has 59 RBI on the season, good for fifth in the Eastern League while Hiraldo drove in his 10th RBI of the series.
Reading (18-20, 46-60) responded and took the lead with three runs in the fifth off right-hander Troy Watson (1-5), who allowed three bases loaded walks and took the loss.
New Hampshire gave up a total of 14 free bases on the afternoon, committing four errors and allowing seven walks, a hit batter and two passed balls.
The Fightin’ Phils added two more in the seventh and one run each in the eighth and ninth off right-handers Joe Jones and T.J. Brock to put the game away. Reading exploded for 14 hits on the game, three each from Madison Stokes and Jhailyn Ortiz.
Starting right-hander Alejandro Melean made only his fourth start of the season. The 22-year-old threw 3.2 innings, allowing five hits but just one run and one walk while striking out three in a no-decision. It’s the longest start by Melean this season.
The Fisher Cats hit the road for seven games in six days against the Hartford Yard Goats starting Tuesday at 7:10 from Dunkin’ Park.
