Fisher Cats score early and strike out plenty in victory
New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, scored early and struck out plenty of Reading Fightin’ Phils in a 6-3 win on Tuesday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.
READING, P.A — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, scored early and struck out plenty of Reading Fightin’ Phils in a 6-3 win on Tuesday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.
New Hampshire (55-62, 20-29) struck out a season-high 18 batters on the night with 11 of the strikeouts coming from starting left-hander Ricky Tiedemann. The Blue Jays No. 1 prospect set a new career-high with 11 strikeouts in 3.2 innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits over two walks on 64 pitches in a no-decision. At one point, the 21-year-old struck out eight batters in a row. It’s the second time in his career where he has punched out double digit batters in a game.
The Fisher Cats scored four runs in the first inning on six hits. Alan Roden led off the game with a solo home run, his sixth at Double-A. The Blue Jays No. 7 prospect is hitting .439 in his last 10 games with four homers and eight RBI.
After three straight singles, Rainer Nunez drove in a pair with a single back up the middle, his 29th and 30th RBI at Double-A. Trevor Schwecke made it a four-run first inning with an RBI double off the bottom of the wall.
Michael Turconi hit his second Double-A homer in as many games with an opposite field shot to left to give New Hampshire a 5-1 lead after the top of the fourth.
Reading (25-27, 53-67) plated two unearned runs home in the fourth off Tiedemann but Will Robertson scored on a wild pitch in the seventh to extend the lead 6-3.
New Hampshire’s bullpen combined for 5.1 scoreless innings and seven strikeouts after the southpaw departed in the fourth. Troy Watson (2-6) threw two innings with four strikeouts to pick up the win, Mason Fluharty pitched in 1.1 innings, T.J. Brock pitched a 1-2-3 eighth and Juan Nunez recorded his first save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth.
The Fisher Cats continue their 12-game road trip and their six-game series against the Reading Fightin’ Phils tomorrow at 6:45. RHP Michael Dominguez (1-0, 3.18 ERA) will start for New Hampshire against RHP Mick Abel (4-5, 3.66 ERA) for Reading.
