READING, Penn. – It took almost eight hours, but the Reading Fightin’ Phils earned themselves a pair of wins over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Tuesday night (and very early Wednesday morning.)
Reading took the first game, 5-1. New Hampshire’s only run came thanks to Logan Warmoth’s first inning triple, but the Fightins responded with a pair or runs in the bottom of the first, followed by two more in the second.
New Hampshire starter Yennsy Diaz could not record an out in the second, not returning after a nearly two-hour rain delay. Reliever Jake Fishman entering and holding the fort for four more innings, awaiting a New Hampshire rally that would not come.
Jose Gomez added an insurance home run for Reading, putting the loss on Diaz (6-6). Seth McGarry (1-0) got the win for Reading thanks to his four innings of scoreless relief.
Eight of Reading’s nine starting batters had at least one hit, with three recording a pair. One member of that trio was Gomez, who also added a run and three RBI in the win. Warmoth led the way for New Hampshire, going 2-for-3 during the contest.
The second game began at 10:05 p.m., and again New Hampshire struck first thanks to Riley Adams’ solo home run.
Grenny Cumana’s RBI single in the sixth tied things up, and although Santiago Espinal’s sacrifice bunt brought home the go-ahead run in the second extra-inning, Gomez hit a two-run walk-off home run off position player Nash Knight, who made his sixth-ever appearance as a pitcher.
Knight took his first ever Eastern League loss, pitching against Reading almost a year after the Fightins stomped the Fisher Cats in Manchester and he recorded three outs after the game became a blowout.
Jeff Singer (5-0) was the winner for Reading, pitching the final three innings without a hit or walk, with Vinny Capra’s run off Espinal’s bunt in the ninth coming due to the fact that Capra began the inning on second base.
Capra also got New Hampshire’s only other hit outside of Adams’ blast.
The two teams conclude the series on Wednesday at 7:10 p.m.
