Three-run lead slips away in Thursday defeat
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, let their three-run lead slip away in a 4-3 defeat to the Reading Fightin’ Phils on Thursday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.
READING, P.A — The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, let their three-run lead slip away in a 4-3 defeat to the Reading Fightin’ Phils on Thursday night at FirstEnergy Stadium.
New Hampshire (56-63, 21-30) scored all three of its runs in the second inning. Damiano Palmegiani launched his 19th homer of the season off Reading starting right-hander Zach Haake to kick off the scoring. The Blue Jays No. 19 prospect has 71 RBI on the season, third-best in the Eastern League.
Alan Roden tacked on two more with a single up the middle, his 23rd and 24th RBI at Double-A, to make it 3-0 New Hampshire. The Blue Jays No. 7 prospect finishes the month of August with a .326 average, six homers and 16 RBI.
Reading (26-28, 54-68) cut into the lead in the fourth on a two-run homer by Ethan Wilson and evened the score in the sixth on a solo homer by Baron Radcliff, his second homer of the series.
In the seventh, the Fightin’ Phils scored the go-ahead run with two outs on a Jhailyn Ortiz RBI single to right field off right-hander Alejandro Melean (3-2). The 22-year-old Venezuelan took the loss after going three innings in relief, allowing six hits and two runs with three strikeouts.
The Fisher Cats brought the go-ahead run to the plate with two outs in the ninth after Miguel Hiraldo singled but Palmegiani struck out swinging to end the game.
Starting right-hander CJ Van Eyk made his Double-A debut on the mound. The 24-year-old threw three innings, allowing three hits, two runs and two walks with one strikeout on 47 pitches in a no-decision. The former top 10 Blue Jays prospect previously made eight rehab appearances with Class-A Dunedin and with the Florida Complex League Blue Jays. Van Eyk did not pitch last year while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
The Fisher Cats continue their 12-game road trip and their six-game series against the Reading Fightin’ Phils tomorrow at 6:45 pm. RHP Chad Dallas (6-2, 4.54 ERA) will get the start for New Hampshire against LHP Matt Osterberg (1-0, 4.50 ERA) for Reading.
