MANCHESTER, NH – If Zach Green must be the next Eastern League Player of the Week if these past three days at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium have shown anything.
On Sunday, the Reading Fightin’ Phils slugger hit his fourth home run in as many days and his fifth in the past six days, helping his squad to an 8-1 victory over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
Reading ended the day with three home runs alongside Green’s: a first inning three-run blast by Darick Hall, a two-run shot in the second by Jiandido Tromp, and a solo shot in the ninth by Deivi Grullon.
The Fightins’ other run came in the third as a ground rule double by Drew Stankiewicz allowed Malquin Canelo to come home.
Ryan Hissey’s score in the eighth kept the Fisher Cats from being shutout for the first time this year. However, it was small consolation on a day when New Hampshire stranded seven men on base and went 0-for-9 collectively with runners in scoring position.
Jonathan Davis and Gunnar Heidt each went 2-for-4 for the ‘Cats, while Tromp led the way for Reading with three hits.
Canelo also ended the day with two hits for the Fightins’.
Ranger Suarez picked up the win for Reading, allowing five hits and a walk in seven innings of work, the fourth time in his last five appearances he’s gone seven innings.
Suarez (4-3) now has allowed just four runs in 20 innings against New Hampshire this year.
The losing pitcher for New Hampshire was Jordan Romano.
This marks the third loss in four starts for Romano (8-3), responsible seven runs before leaving with two outs in the sixth.
In a small silver lining, Romano did strike out eight Reading batters, his highest total so far this year.
The Fisher Cats now welcome the Portland Sea Dogs for a four-game set in Manchester, with the first game set for 7:05 p.m. on Monday.
T.J.Zeuch (5-2, 2.70 ERA) seeks to continue his recent success for New Hampshire against lefty Dedgar Jimenez (2-6, 5.87 ERA).
This article used information from the Eastern League website.
